


The Life We Could've Had

by DoomBeThyName



Category: DC - Fandom, DCAMU - Fandom, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020), Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
Genre: DamiRae - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:55:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 119,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25711720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoomBeThyName/pseuds/DoomBeThyName
Summary: This is a series I've begun to supplement the DCAMU. It's not an AU as I see it, more of what it possibly would have been like if JLD: Apokolips War had never happened. If Darkseid had never magically gotten ahold of enough Kryptonian DNA to build an army of ParaDooms. If the Teen Titans had been allowed to go on as normal. I picture this story beginning some months after the faithful day of what would've been 'AW', so all the movies from Flashpoint to Hush and WW: Bloodlines apply as a background story.
Relationships: Batman/Wonder Woman, Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Garfield Logan/Jinx, Jaime Reyes/Traci Thirteen, Kon-El | Conner Kent/Donna Troy, Nightwing/Starfire, Raven/Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake, Wallace West/Supergirl
Comments: 335
Kudos: 549





	1. Amazonians and Missions

Dim lights emitted from spotted sections of Titans Tower shortly before dawn had approached Jump City. Robin of the Teen Titans was hard at work slashing through several projections of the tower’s fighting simulator. November had arrived, and the cold air it brought with it made Robin feel strangely lively, reminding him of the early hours of training in the mountains at Nanda Parbat.

Bounds and leaps and kicks and slashes later, Damian Wayne came to a stop as the dull orange glow broke through the windows of the tower. As he surveyed it rising over the bay, he de-stressed the muscles in his shoulders and loosened his tension from training, basking in the sunrise. Moments later, the panel doors of the training room opened, and he glanced around.

“You’re always so much more spry this time of the year,” murmured Grayson, walking in and looking rather pale.

“Inactivity brings out the worst in us.” said Damian. He stood straighter. “Evaluating your body’s conditions at all times leads-“

“I got it, I got it!” Dick cut him off, waving his hand. Sleep was still evident in his eyes, though he smiled. He gazed past Damian to the sunrise making its way across the city.

“Batman rang Kori and I half an hour ago. We’re getting a new comrade,” he informed. Damian turned back to face the sunrise.

“I already know about Cassie.” said Damian. “Donna filled me in last night.” Nightwing’s attention jerked out of its groggy state.

“Oh?” He was smiling. “You and Donna were with each other last night?”

Damian grimaced at his brother. “Father was right. You missed your true calling of being a gossip columnist.”

Grayson laughed. “Maybe I’ll start a blog. Either way- be in the common room at eight. We’ll inform everyone who is still in the dark and get the ball rolling for her to fit in. It’s actually good timing: we could use a new face with the mission coming up this weekend.”

Damian nodded once in agreement and returned his gaze back to the city. Nightwing made to leave, but the itch of curiosity was beginning to burn an interest in the back of his head.

“ _So_ -“ he started. “ _Were_ you and Donna alone last night?”

Damian groaned. “ _No,_ Grayson. I was having tea _alone_ when she and Raven happened to walk in. Wonder Woman had called her on video-chat just beforehand.”

Nightwing looked as if he had just missed out on a right treat. Half of his mouth still in an uptick, though, he waved and left. Robin watched the sun rise further and brighten Jump City for a quarter of an hour more before making his own departure.

~

Normally, there was a racket at the breakfast bar greater than that of what the birds made on top of Titans Tower. Being so early, however, Robin was it’s only occupant, so he was able to sit and drink his herbal tea in comfort without distraction from working on his tablet, putting together a series of confidential files.

He heard the panel doors to the area open and close. He didn’t need to look up; there was only one other who’d be awake at this time willingly.

“It looks like you’re stalking her,” came Raven’s voice dryly.

“I’m just ensuring to capture all relative data,” said Damian. “Knowing Grayson and Starfire, they’ll leave points out of the briefing. Besides, you know I did the same thing when Conner joined.”

“And look how well that turned out.”

Robin looked up at her as she began filling a teapot with water. “What do you mean? I’m informed on everything about Conner.”

“Including that he’s trustworthy,” Raven countered. Damian _tsk’d_ and set back to work. They fell into a comfortable silence. Raven readied her tea as Robin organized his data.

_Cassandra Sandsmark._

_Demigod._

_Sixteen._

_Father- egotistical deity known as Zeus._

_Mother- human archeologist named Dr. Helena Sandsmark._

_Abilities: Flight, Invulnerability, super strength. All similar to Donna._

_Data composed from Justice League files: She’s energetic, carefree, and eager to make a name for herself. Footnote from Batman: be on-guard for her possible recklessness, similar to Superboy’s attempts to fit into his father’s shoes._

“Nothing much more to it,” Damian muttered to himself. Raven sat down beside him. Her eyes skimmed the profile Robin made.

“What are you thinking?” asked Raven. Her eyes were still on the new Wonder Girl’s picture.

Robin looked to her and gave a small shrug. “Her… characterization leaves something to be desired. Hopefully it won’t be a fussy rigmarole to get her to the maturity she needs to be at to work as a unit of the team.”

“She’s Amazonian trained,” Raven reminded him. “I’m sure she knows how to work in sync with other warriors.”

Damian couldn’t deny this. Donna had been an exemplary teammate since day one, albeit she had just been getting used to her powers. But from his father’s footnote, he couldn’t stop his mind from going over scenarios where the new Wonder Girl’s eagerness to fulfill herself landed them in tight spots during fights and missions.

Raven finished her tea and cleared the dishes away. Everyone had a designated day on which they did dishes, but Raven always tried to wash her own messes instead of adding to the pile. Leaving dirty plates and cups for others to clean was just… discourteous. Garfield and Conner were the worst, but at least Damian shared this feeling. She shared a last look with him before leaving the breakfast area.

~

The gathering for the briefing took place in the computer room. Around a dozen or so monitors displayed a variety of news anchors relaying information of the Justice League’s or Titan’s latest acts to the public (it was always smart to keep track of what they said and what the public was currently thinking of you), progress of slicing into mainframes and/or networks the team needed to get into, and various other programs Raven wasn’t entirely sure did. Other than her basic laptop set up, communicator, and new phone, she rarely handled technology.

She stood next to Kori as everyone assembled. She and Dick were already there going over some files and Damian walked in not a minute after, arms folded crossly. Jaime, Gar, Wallace, and Conner made their way in eventually. Donna showed up not long after their agreed meet-up time, a slight frown on her face.

“Glad to see we’ve all made it.” Kori began. She always looked like she was on the verge of smiling. “First of all, I’d like to welcome our new member.” She looked to Donna expectantly.

“Where…?”

Donna’s frown deepened into a grimace and she rubbed the back of her neck warily.

“She-“ she began, and then heaved a long sigh. “She’s going to be running late… Princess Diana had a hard time getting her to move this morning. Apparently she had a late night dancing and packing and what-not. I’m sorry… but we can get started without her.”

Donna had a look of apologetic and downtrodden that Kori seemed to share. Raven couldn’t help but glance sideways at Damian- and sure enough, he was wearing an unimpressed frown. Unprepared and late, on something that you had a forewarning and knowledge of. The other boy’s expressions hadn’t even blinked.

“It’s nothing we can help right now,” said Dick, getting everyone back on track. He pressed a button and on the largest monitor screen there was a familiar _H_ symbol that they all knew too well.

“Hive,” Jaime growled.

“They’re back in operations under new, unknown management,” informed Dick. Raven glanced sideways to Damian again as Dick pressed another button: it was clear from his expression that he was already in the know about all of this.

This time the screen displayed an image of three unusual characters.

On the right was a giant of a man that looked like a mountain to the other two. He had orange hair, rippling muscles, the expression of a confused gorilla and was fitted in a sort of tight black spandex with golden accents.

On the left looked to be an incredibly young boy, the kind that still got left at day care, except that he had an all-knowing shit-eating grin on his face with goggles on his forehead and a mechanical backpack.

In the middle was a girl that wouldn’t be out of place at a cosplay rally. She was of average height (at least, more normal compared to the other two), had a sort of homemade purple and black attire that Raven found kind of appealing, pale skin, and hair and eyes the color of a magenta pink. She had a hand on her hip and looked rather confident and superior.

“And this time they’ve amped up,” continued Starfire. “These three are new recruits to their arsenal. “Mammoth,” she referred to the brute with her hand, “Jinx,” she motioned to the girl, “and Gizmo. H.I.V.E is primarily running an under ground operations by leasing these three talented metas out to anyone who needs anything done. They’ve been effective with getting any and every job done…”

“So what haven’t we stepped in and stopped them?” asked Jaime. He seemed supremely unconcerned with whatever their gifts were.

“They’ve been keeping their jobs low-profiled, and whoever is bankrolling them has upgraded H.I.V.E’s past security defenses- we just haven’t caught them in time before they set out,” explained Dick.

“But we have them now?” asked Robin. It was good to know that he’s still in the dark with them in some things, Raven thought.

‘Sort of,” Kori tried explaining. “We more or less know _how_ we can get them.”

“They’re holding an event soon- letting these three perform any high job that the highest bidder wants done,” said Dick. He pressed another button and an image of a large building replaced the trio.

Kori looked to the others. “Nightwing and I have talked about this… with Batman. We all want to know where the money is coming from, and who is calling the shots behind this team. A direct assault isn’t in our best interest- we need to go undercover.”

“Infiltration!” said Gar enthusiastically. “Nice!”

Nightwing looked at Robin. “This is why I said earlier that it would be nice to have a new face. Someone _no one_ would recognize, and then suspect. We have a plan set up otherwise.”

Kori explained it. “John Constantine has gifted us a couple of runes, each containing one _Glamour_ spell. This will cause two of us to physically look like someone completely different. Donna and Raven- that’s you two. We’re going to have you two be some of our eyes and ears inside this building.”

“Batman has already got some identification papers set up for you both.” Nightwing added. “Oversea relatives of Sebastian Blood… they’ll all check out, and you two are strong enough to get yourselves out of a sticky situation on the off-chance it doesn’t.”

“Nice.” said Donna appreciatively. Raven nodded.

“Will I be a super spy, too?” asked Wallace excitedly. He was looking very animated at the idea.

Kori gave him a sad frown. “Sorry, Wally… but no. You’re still too young to pass off as anyone old enough to attend something like this. You, me, Jaime, and Nightwing are going to stay well back.”

“But we’re going to be at the ready to spring into action and bust up the joint if need be,” interjected Nightwing, grinning, lifting Wallace’s sprits again. He was good at this.

“Conner,” Starfire continued. “How far up can you be while still keeping an eye on things inside the building and also able to hear everything?”

“I could be cloud level and handle it all just fine,” he told her, trying not to sound boastful. He was one of the most confident people Raven had ever met, including Supers.

“And then Gar will be a literal _fly on the wall_ ,” said Nightwing, grinning.

“And myself?” asked Damian, a furrow in his brow.

“You’ll be on the inside as well,” Nightwing told him. “As… Damian _Al Ghul_.”

This surprised him, and Raven, too.

“What?”

“You’re going to be a prospective buyer for their services, looking to get your hand back into the grime of the underworld,” Nightwing told him firmly. “No sword, no costume, no Glamour. You’ll only have to dress the part of someone with royalty-like money, which is why you’ll be flying to Gotham in a few hours. Bruce has the city’s best tailor meeting you at the manor this evening.”

Robin grimaced. But at least he got to see Alfred and Titus again. “Great,” he said dryly. He saw Grayson was still smirking at him.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing,” Grayson started innocently. “It just gets a _tad better_ than that. This is a pretty social event. A real _meet-and-greet_ type of thing.” His grin cracked wider.

“Translation, Grayson,” said Damian impatiently.

“It’s a dance, Damian,” said Kori, frowning at her fiancé as Robin’s jaw dropped. “It’d be best if you… _fraternized_ with the socialites there and got to know the higher-ups attending.”

“So you’ll get to dance with the girls there?” asked Superboy jealously. With a furrow in his brow, his gaze flicked to Raven and Donna. She’s been certain he and Donna had this mutual attraction going on, but it didn’t feel as if that’s where he was looking…

“Only when you’re absolutely comfortable with it and in control,” said Starfire. “We don’t want-“

“It’s fine,” Damian cut her off. “I’ll be a prostitute for your justice.”

Jaime, Gar, and Wallace roared with laughter. Donna chuckled, and even Raven smiled a bit. He meant his words, but Raven knew he wouldn’t step out onto the dance floor if it wasn’t to prove something. He wouldn’t do that…

“Everyone get prepared,” Kori ordered. “The… gala is Saturday night. That’s two days from now.”

“How will the new girl fit in?” asked Garfield, reminding them all of her existence. Kori and Dick looked at each other.

“Originally, we had planned for her to infiltrate as a different undercover on the inside,” said Dick. “But… well, she’s not leaving us any time for us to get her a dress. You’ve got to look like you’re rolling in enough money to be Bruce Wayne’s secretary to show up and fit in to one of these things. She’ll just have to hang back with us, out of sight.”

Donna frowned. Her Amazonian sister wasn’t off to a good start with the gang.

Everyone nodded and dismissed themselves. Raven wanted to talk to Robin before he left, but she wasn’t even sure about what, so she just glanced at him before he walked down the corridor. He looked back, his face easing fractionally into a more relaxed expression before he turned away.

~

The morning had passed and the new Wonder Girl still hadn’t shown up. When Raven made her way down for lunch, Kori and Donna were already there, the latter looking as if she were ready to strangle someone.

“I swear she’s not like this,” Donna was saying as she watched Kori make a well-sized lobster roll. “Cassie was always timely for everything, even when we needed her for training at the crack of dawn! I don’t know what’s going on…”

“Maybe something actually came up?” suggested Raven.

“And besides,” added Kori. “There have been _worse_ ways of meeting a new teammate.”

“Oh, yeah,” laughed Donna. She’d been filled in of Damian’s arrival some time ago- ignoring their help, calling Raven a “witch girl”, telling Starfire she was an alien without a real home, and actually fighting Jaime.

Raven opened the pantry, a walk in resembling a miniature farmer’s market that you’d see in California, filled with a wide array with vegetables, fruits, with a variety of jams and preserves and spices.

It was a shame the only one who knew how to cook anything in the building was Robin- a skill he’d picked up quickly from the butler he rarely spoke of, Alfred Pennyworth. And he only ever made vegan food. Raven closed it and opted with a cold cut prepackaged gourmet sandwich from the fridge.

She sat down with Kori at the table closest to the outdoor patio. As they begun eating, Conner walked into the kitchen. He jutted his eyebrows up briefly in their direction as recognition, his eyes lingering there way for a long moment, before he leveled a look at Donna, watching her make her own lunch. Raven bit the inside of her mouth to keep from smiling: Donna’s irritation was completely wiped from her face and replaced with a cool, smooth expression that told Raven all too well that she was hyper aware of Conner watching her, though she was turned the other way so he couldn’t see. She turned towards him, plate in hand, and walked past making her way to their table, very nonchalant.

“So Donna,” said Conner, breaking the ice, “when are _you and I_ going to have lunch together?”

Donna scoffed, but spared him an amused look. “Please. Call me in two years.”

Conner grinned, looking rather cool. “I’ll mark my calendar, babe.” He told her confidently. He watched her make her way to the table shared by Raven and Kori, and they watched her as she, keeping her head straight towards them, had her eyes trained sideways as though she were trying to keep Superboy in her peripheral vision. Conner grabbed a bottle of green juice from the fridge before he stepped out onto the patio, shooting a crooked smirk back their way before shooting off faster than a jet up and away.

Donna’s smile went from ear-to-ear as she pumped her arm in a sort of victory.

“Yes!” she said delightedly. Raven and Kori both laughed.

“Why don’t you just say something?” Kori inquired.

“I’m playing hard to get,” Donna told her as she picked her food up. “It’s all a cat-and-mouse game with Conner. And someday _soon_ one of use is going to catch the other.” She took a bite of her roll, looking satisfied.

Starfire’s eyebrows crinkled as if she thought they were the cutest thing in the world. And then she looked to Raven.

“What about you, Rae?” she asked. “Have you thought lately about… asking one of the boys out?”

Emerald eyes flashed in Raven’s mind before she could help it.

“Uhm-“

Fortunately, Starfire’s phone rang at that moment. She grabbed it from her pocket and flipped on the video call.

“Kori.” It was Dick. “I’m on call with Batman, he says Cassie and Wonder Woman will be landing in five. Can you go out there and meet them?”

Kori told him yes as Donna groaned “ _finally_ ”. They finished their lunch quicker than they would’ve liked and headed down, meeting Wallace in the tower’s floor lobby.

“Hey guys,” he said happily. “Nightwing told me the new chick is almost here! I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Just keep your jaw off the floor,” Raven said to him sagely. Donna laughed. They waited out front, the four of them making Raven oddly reminiscent of Damian’s arrival.

She sensed it far before she saw it: the infamous invisible jet of the world’s most powerful woman. Kori gasped when she heard it coming to a stop little more than thirty yards from them, in the clearing. The only way one could tell it was there at all besides the noise was the slight shimmering of the air you saw if you focused hard enough. Raven concentrated on it as the jet went silent, and out dropped a blonde headed girl, seemingly to have appeared out of thin air. Raven recognized Wonder Woman following suit.

“Titans,” greeted Wonder Woman as they reached them. There was a small smile on her lips.

“Princess Diana,” Kori returned, bowing her head. She couldn’t help but recognize Diana’s royal blood. “It’s very good to see you again.”

“Same,” said Wonder Woman. “Girls- Kid Flash- this is Cassandra.”

Cassandra, or Cassie as Raven already knew her from Donna, was a sixteen-year-old girl with blonde bangs and about Raven’s exact height. She had a friendly smile, a bright look in her sky blue eyes, and wore a very fine brown leather jacket over a uniform similar to Donna’s, the only difference being her top half was black.

“Hey everyone,” she smiled. Wallace’s lower jaw was trying to become unhinged despite Raven’s advice.

“Cassandra,” Kori welcomed. Raven waved.

“Welcome to Titans Tower,” said Donna. “At _long last_.”

Cassie snickered and Wonder Woman surprisingly adopted a poker-face expression. “There was a hold up on our end… sorry for inconveniencing you and the team this late, Starfire.”

“Not at all,” said Kori as Cassie scoffed. After formal introductions to Raven and Wallace, Wonder Woman bid them goodbye and vanished into thin air, climbing aboard her invisible jet (how did she know right where the door was on the first try?) and took off.

Before they got very far back inside the tower at all, Donna shot Cassie a disapproving look, pulling her Amazonian’s sister gaze from whipping around her new home.

“What’s the deal?” she asked. “You knew what time you had to be here today, what was the hold up?”

Kori looked like she wanted to interject, but Cassie responded swiftly.

“ _I_ wasn’t any kind of hold up,” Cassie explained. ‘That’s all our mentor’s fault.” A crooked smile erupted along her features as if she knew a secret. Donna waved for her to elaborate. “She was busy… _seeing_ Batman.”

“No!” gasped Kori as Donna moaned. Even Raven looked to her in surprise. She didn’t see that one coming.

“She didn’t make it back till late this morning,” she added, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets.

“Not a single word to Dick,” muttered Kori. “I’ll never hear the end of it.” Raven laughed.

They made their way through the tower together. Kori showed Cassie the main areas that would be most visited, the common area with the gaming room, the computer room where most team briefings were held, to the kitchen area with the pantry and fridges.

Cassie was a nice, spirited girl. They all talked while they walked, Wallace animatedly so, and she returned their curiosity. She asked Wallace how did he come to be so gifted, which made him blush. She’d asked Raven and Starfire what else were they up to when not training.

“I live in a downtown loft with Nightwing,” Kori told her as they exited the elevator again. They were on the bedroom floor now. “He’s my fiancé, and… _co-_ leader of the team.”

“Like your assistant?” asked Cassie. Raven and the others laughed.

“Oh, please let him hear you say that,” Donna urged, grinning. They stopped about midway through the hall.

“Boys rooms are on the left, girls on the right,” said Kori. “You’re right in-between Donna and Raven.”

“I’ll try to keep the noise down neighbor,” smiled Cassie. Raven smiled back. She was liking Cassie. Like Donna and Kori both, she was very easy to get along with.

Cassie’s attention snapped to something over Raven’s shoulder, and her eyebrows shot up.

“ _Oh._ ”

Raven turned. Damian was making his way down the hallway, his rucksack slung over his shoulder. He was out of his Robin uniform for once, wearing a stormy grey hoodie and midnight dark blue jeans. She wondered idly while she tried to focus how he could take a simple look that wouldn’t be amiss on a normal college or high school student and currently make it seem as if he was going down the runway.

“Damian,” greeted Kori. “You’re all ready for the departure back to Gotham?”

Damian nodded. His sharp emerald eyes flicked to Raven and the others before he set them on Cassie.

“So, you’re the new Wonder Girl?” he asked. His voice was completely even, but there was the slightest hint of steel in his eyes that told Raven he was still disapproving with her untimely arrival. Being completely new to him, she hoped Cassie wouldn’t notice.

Cassie nodded wordlessly. She had an odd, wide-eyed look on her face.

He reached out a hand. “I’m Damian. The Robin on the team.”

Cassie shook it. “Hi Damian,” she said breathlessly. “I’m Robin.”

Damian’s eyebrow shot up as Donna’s head dropped.

“No!” Cassie corrected, realizing her mistake. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m the new Wonder Girl. But please, just call me Cassie. Calling two different people Wonder Girl will probably get confusing anyhow…”

Damian looked like he didn’t know how to take that. He instead turned to Starfire, who had a knuckle up to her mouth to keep from giggling out loud.

“Nightwing said I’ll meet you guys there,” he said. “I’m going to be taking a different car so that we look unrelated as possible.”

Kori controlled her face and nodded. Wallace crossed his arms and huffed. “Man,” he said, “why you always get the bomb treatment?”

Damian looked at him. “It’ll be you someday, little man.” He held out a fist. Wallace smiled and bumped it with his own enthusiastically. Wallace had thought highly of Damian since day one. He loved his superiorly cool demeanor.

He and Raven looked at each other. Nothing important to say, but still wanting to say something.

“Scratch Titus for me,” she came up with. There was an uptick in the corner of Damian’s mouth as he mumbled “sure” and began to leave. He was halfway to the elevator when Cassie called out to him.

“Maybe we can train together sometime?” She sounded hopeful. Raven felt annoyed.

He turned halfway around, examining her with an even expression. “If you’re an Amazonian, you’re powerful,” he said to her. “Train with Donna and Raven. They’re the strongest members on the team.”

Donna looked surprised. “Thanks Damian,” she said in an amazed voice. Damian had turned back around. He put a hand up and waved without looking at them before getting in the elevator and disappearing. Cassie immediately turned to Donna and Raven with a big smile.

“He’s _hot!_ ”

“That’s not at all what you should be focusing on right now,” Donna reprimanded, placing her hands on her hips. But then she closed her eyes and juggled her head back and forth as if she were deliberating something.

“But, yeah, he is,” she said reluctantly. “But come on now, get settled in. We have training soon.”

“In one hour,” confirmed Kori, who’d been watching with a sheepish expression. If Nightwing found out about any of this he’d never be quiet again. “The training fields behind the tower. Everyone bring your ‘A’ game, okay?”

~

The team begun assembling promptly at the top of the noon hour. Garfield and Jaime both met Cassie. Gar chatted with her earnestly, but Jaime hung back a little bit. Raven gave him a sorry smile. Tracy was already so jealous as is since Jaime told her who he was and that he spent his days and nights living directly across the hall from the famous _Wonder Girl_.

Today they would be battling each other one-on-one again to get themselves ready for fighting metahumans. Raven thought of the trio they had seen on the screen this morning and focused in. The big burly brute was obvious- strength. The kid had a mechanical backpack on, but what was the deal with the girl Jinx?

“Everyone ready?” called Nightwing after making his introduction to Cassie. “Wait- where’s Conner?”

“Is that him up there?” asked Cassie, walking up to where Raven and Donna stood. Now that her jacket was disposed of, Raven could see her uniform was sleeveless like Donna’s and she similarly had slender, muscular arms and wore silver bracelets that she sensed tingled with magic properties. Cassie raised one of them to help block out the sun as she squinted up to the sky.

Raven and the others followed suit and, sure enough, there was Conner flying around in circles instead of coming straight down.

“He’s such a show-off,” muttered Donna amusedly. Raven was pretty sure he could hear them.

“So that’s the Superboy I’ve seen so much of,” said Cassie in a low voice. The corner of her mouth turned upwards.

“ _He’s_ special, too.”

“Okay, you know what? It’s time to focus!” said Donna, aggravation suddenly ringing in her tone.

Raven couldn’t agree more as Superboy landed by Jaime and Gar with a smirk their way. This wasn’t the time to be looking at boys or to be wondering about whatever Damian was doing at this moment. It was go-time.

She watched Blue Beetle and Beast Boy step forward and get into fighting stances, facing each other.

People’s safety depended on them. They had a job to do. Raven would see it done.


	2. The H.I.V.E Gala

Cassie had been formidable that first day of training. She had stepped confidently across from Conner, watched closely by everyone (even closer still by Donna), and gone toe-to-toe with the would-be-Superman, even gaining the upper hand for a moment before Superboy ended it with a blow that knocked her into the bay.

Confident, and not quite as strong as Donna nor Conner, Raven noted. Did they have reason to worry about Batman’s footnote as Damian had?

She hadn’t heard anything from him through the rest of that day nor Friday. She only knew from an update by Nightwing Saturday morning that he would be arriving at the estate just forty miles outside of Jump City at seven o’clock that night. Donna and Raven would be arriving a half hour beforehand via car delivery provided by Bruce Wayne.

Cassie’s face fell as she learned she would be waiting on the outside of the grounds with Kori, Jaime, Wallace, and Dick.

“Isn’t there _anything_ I can do?” she had asked Kori and Nightwing as she was briefed of this early on the day of. They had exchanged looks.

“I’m sorry,” said Kori, eyebrows knitted. “We haven’t prepared a space for you on the inside. Even if we were able to get more _Glamour_ runes from John Constantine and Lady Zatanna, we couldn’t have Batman forge a thorough amount of identity papers by this evening. He’s busy with important league work as well.”

Cassie looked wilted and Donna grimaced at her sister. She certainly seemed very eager to make a name for herself as Damian’s notes had suggested.

“So what do we call you out in the field?” asked Wallace as they all had lunch together. Everyone except Nightwing had come down at the same time. Rather than fighting for who got to heat their food up first or what-not, they readied a giant pot of gumbo that was prepared for them by chefs outside of the tower beforehand by delivery and each scooped some into their bowl family-style.

“What do you mean?” asked Cassie in response. She moved the murky liquid around with her spoon- it was her first Cajun style food experience.

“I mean, _you’re_ Wonder Girl,” said Wallace, pointing to Donna, “and _you’re_ Wonder Girl.” He pointed to Cassie. “How will anyone know which one we’re talking about?”

“I got it!” interceded Garfield. “We’ll call _you_ Wonder Girl,” he said to Donna, then turned to Cassie, “and _you_ will be Wonder Girl _Jr_.”

Cassandra scoffed as the others laughed into their bowl. “Not happening,” she said. “Just call me Cassie? I don’t have a secret identity anyways.”

Starfire’s phone went off. She checked it. “Speaking of secret identities,” she said, “the runes are here. Dick has got them in the comms room.”

Raven nodded and made to get up. The gumbo was tasty in a spicy way she wasn’t usually fond of, but she shouldn’t have much more of that if she was expected to attend a gala later.

When she, Kori, and Donna walked in, Nightwing was turned away from them. There was an image of Batgirl taking center stage of the largest monitor with the caption ‘ _Batman’s Underling Strikes Heavily Again’_.

“Why are you checking up on Barbara, Dick?” asked Starfire in a strange voice. Donna and Raven each looked down and away.

She heard Nightwing’s chair reel around, but when he spoke, it sounded like he was smiling, so she glanced.

“I don’t think this is Barbara,” he said, grinning softly at his fiancé’s jealousy. “Me and Damian have been trying to check into this lately. Look-“ he wheeled around again and pressed a few buttons. The image of the Batgirl on screen minimalized to half-size and another was placed right next to it. Raven recognized Batgirl.

“You see,” continued Dick, “this new person has an all-black costume, no red hair dangling, and no real accents of any kind.” He gestured to all the differences as he spoke. Their bodies were even slightly different. Raven could see what he meant- other than the fact they were both obviously Batgirls, the differences were almost night-and-day.

Kori’s eyebrow shot up quizzically as she realized this as well. “Did your father bring someone new on?”

“He hasn’t said anything about this to _us,_ ” said Dick grumpily, “but it definitely seems so. I was hoping Damian would wring it out of him, but he texted me this morning that he hadn’t even seen Bruce since arriving there. Alfred’s been the one helping him out with the tailor and arranging the transportations.”

Starfire hummed as Nightwing clicked it all away. “But that’s relevant to a different time,” he said. He stood up and handed two small bits of stone the size of golf balls to both Raven and Donna. She noted how delicate it felt.

“Break them in your hands at about six o’clock,” Dick told them. “The spells will only last about five hours or so. That should leave us plenty of time to get in, get the info we need, and get out.”

“Are we expected to do any dancing?” asked Donna. Raven blanched. She hadn’t even thought of this.

“Maybe,” said Dick, then shrugged. “But maybe not. Most of the girls there are supposedly just daughters of the people bidding. I doubt too many of them want to see their little girls dangling on the arms of their peers.”

“Thank Azarath,” muttered Raven. Kori smiled at her.

“We should start getting ready. You can never be too prepared.”

Raven nodded in agreement, but paused before turning away. On one of the smaller screens that was at head level to Dick as he sat back down, a glowing green message icon popped up.

_New message: Damian._

She looked at it for a moment, waiting to see if Dick would open it, but he seemed busy reading an article, looking down. Raven lingered a few more seconds unnecessarily. She wanted to know what it said. Deciding it would seem foolish to dawdle any longer, she took her leave, trying to push the thought away and clear her mind.

~

Raven had been meditating for a lost amount of time. Focusing only on clearing her mind of all outer things that didn’t evolve what needed to be done tonight. She had an important role. It needed to be fulfilled.

_Useless daughter! Pretending to be something that you’re not! Too weak to protect anyone you care about! They will all die by my hand or another’s! What difference is there! Release me, you wretched bird!_

Raven sighed and dropped out of her meditation, dissipating the purple aura surrounding her body. When she focused on clearing her mind, she lost the attention she needed to keep her father’s idiotic comments to himself.

She glanced at the clock. _5:12_. She needed to get a move on. They’d be leaving for the estate in a half hour.

She picked up the rune she’d placed on top of her dresser and dropped it into the palm of her hand, staring at it before she crushed it as Nightwing had instructed.

It vaguely reminded her of when she held her father’s shard that day, so long ago, when she had nearly given this all up…

She smiled to herself before squeezing her hand shut, crushing it easily.

Her entire body lit up, glowing pale blue. She gazed at her hand interestingly until the brightness made her shut her eyes. Suddenly, it subsided. She felt no different, yet when she opened her eyes, it was definitely not the same one she’d looked at ten seconds ago.

She walked to her body-length mirror and gasped, caught off-guard. She was _beautiful._

There was bronze hair twice as long as Raven had ever had hers. It flowed halfway down her back. And caramel colored skin with green eyes. She couldn’t help but make a comparison of them to Damian’s, and she had a clear favorite. Emeralds were far more majestic than this basil.

The glamour had even changed what she wore. Now she found herself in a sparking red dress that Raven normally wouldn’t have been caught dead in.

There was a knock at the door. Raven opened it, preparing to surprise whoever it was on the other side, but instead found herself immediately snorting into laughter.

She had opened up to a woman with spazzy reddish-brown hair tied back into very old fashioned pigtails in a sky blue dress that went down past her knees. This person looked deeply unhappy.

“I look like a 1940’s doll come to life,” complained Donna. The rune had altered her voice to a tone more robust.

“You look like Dorothy from _The Wizard of Oz_ ,” Raven added on. They laughed together, leaving Raven’s room. They heard a familiar _animalistic growl_ before they had reached the elevator.

“Well hello ladies,” said Garfield as the girls turned around, “might I interest you in a walk around the tower?”

“My mother said not to talk to strangers,” said Dorothy’s twin. Raven laughed, hearing her new temporary voice ring like chimes.

Garfield shrugged and studied them both, signature smile on. He looked to the star of _The Wizard of Oz_.

“You still rock any look, Rae,” he said in an undertone.

“I’m Raven.”

“O-oh! Yeah, of course,” said Garfield, his confidence obviously faltering. She wondered what was going on with him. Out of courtesy, Raven always tried to turn numb to her teammate’s emotions. She didn’t want to breach their hearts or their trust. She thought about that as Garfield looked between them, seeming almost worried about something.

“Well, we gotta go,” said Donna. “How are you getting there?”

“I’m turning into an eagle and then dropping in as a squirrel about a mile out,” he said, recovering his mood. Garfield glanced at Raven before he joined them as they made their way down to the ground floor. All of the others were already there, absent Cassie and Wallace. Jaime was in conversation intently with Nightwing and Kori about the role they would play and what they would strictly listen for. Conner looked rather bored, until he noticed them walking up. His eyes popped for moment as he took in the new female shapes, his gaze going up and down Raven’s form.

“Well hi ladies,” he said flirtatiously, “my name’s Conner.”

“Save it. Garfield already beat you to it,” Donna told him. She folded her arms with a glare. Raven wondered whether she was upset that Superboy hadn’t rolled his tongue out for her. It’s not like they were in their own bodies.

“Raven, Donna,” beckoned Nightwing, “the car just arrived. You’ll be leaving in a minute.”

Raven glanced outside. A stretched Mercedes-Maybach vehicle was waiting directly in front of the doors.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” sighed Donna, looking slightly dejected from her current appearance.

“I’ll be keeping an eye out for you ladies,” said Conner smoothly. Donna ignored him. Cassie and Wallace joined them now. The team fully assembled, save one.

“Knock it off. This is serious,” said Nightwing. The atmosphere shifted into a more focused element. “Whatever these guys are planning is potentially disastrous. These metas have hurt people before. If we do our job right, they’ll never hurt anyone again. Nor will whoever is pulling the strings. We each have a job to do and there’s no one better suited to do it. Titans… go.”

~

The ride to the estate’s grounds had been enjoyable to an extent. Donna and Raven enjoyed the brightening city lights as dusk had already begun to settle over it, something they didn’t usually get much of a chance to stop and take in. All manner of people populated the streets still. She fondly watched as one little girl crossed in front of them as they stopped at a red light, dressed in a Batman costume, nearly a full week after Halloween.

Raven looked down at her phone for the first time in a while- and started. She’d received a text from Damian hours ago, while she had been meditating.

She opened it instantly. It was a picture message. Displayed was Titus sitting on (what she assumed was) Damian’s bed, staring at the camera and wagging his tail so that it was all but a blur.

_Good luck with Constantine’s spell. See you at the gala._

Raven reread it several times. She was mentally kicking herself. How had she not noticed this? Donna leaned over as Raven saved the picture to her phone.

“Who ya talking to?” Donna was a socialite.

She thought briefly of hiding it, but there was no reason for that, so she opened up to her friend. “Damian.” she said. “He’s just wising us luck on the mission tonight.”

Donna scoffed. “All business, that guy.” Raven chose not to comment.

Soon the glow of the city lights were barely a horizon behind them as they exited to more private and spacious grounds. Every mile or so would be a fantastical house that must’ve held a dozen bedrooms apiece. Raven thought to herself she would never want a place like that for her or her family. Her thoughts momentarily flicked to Wayne Manor.

As they stopped before a shiny silver gate with an intricate design, Raven saw a house planted on the top of a hill that could rival any obtusely large mansion. Then she noticed the two burly men approaching the car.

They spoke to the driver first, someone Raven hadn’t even seen yet. Mumblings she couldn’t hear. Then the window on Donna’s side came down and Raven fought the urge to look away as a flashlight was shone in their faces.

“Ladies,” one of the men said gruffly.

“Are our daddies here yet?” pouted Donna, leaning towards them. One of the gorillas chuckled gruffly with his mouth hanging open.

“Oh yeah, girly,” he spoke clumsily, “your _daddies_ are here.”

“ _Shut the fuck up, Charles!_ ” spat the other. “These people will gut us for less! But, _ahem_ , yes ma’am, your fathers are here. Ya’ driver showed us your I.D’s and everything. We just wanted to check it was ya’ back here.”

“’Kay,” chirped Donna. Raven bit the inside of her cheek. They heard the loud-mouth idiot being reprimanded further as their window rolled back up and entered into the estate’s grounds.

“This may be easier than we thought,” said Raven. She looked at Donna. “Good acting back there, by the way.”

Donna shrugged one shoulder, but looked pleased with herself nonetheless. Raven thought she was having fun.

They felt the vehicle roll to a stop. In another moment, the door on Raven’s side opened and an older gentlemen in a tuxedo stood diligently with his spare hand behind his back, waiting for them to exit.

They did. Guards stood at either side of massive wooden doors to the house that was much larger than Raven thought it to be. Unless their library was the size of the one back at Azarath’s main temple, she wasn’t sure at all why one would need so much space. They could hear the buzz of voices coming from inside as they made their way up the steps, watching the guards approach them.

“Hey now little lady,” meat-bag-in-sunglasses-at-night number one said, “you know we gotta check you before you go in there.”

“Check me?” said Raven. She tried to keep venom out of her tone.

Number Two held up a wand stupidly. It was his favorite thing, that wand. The most exciting part of his life.

Raven clenched her teeth as she tried her best to keep an even expression, lifting her arms up sideways. Number Two jabbed her in the ribs in his over-excitement and began running it over her body without apologizing. Raven felt the anger tempted to break through her mask of indifference as her rubbed the wand slowly over her thighs and slowing the pace still over her backside. It went down her hamstrings and back up, slowly over her buttocks again. Raven’s impatience was going to show soon. He moved it around to her front, trailing up her stomach, inches away from-

“My dad’s wondering why we aren’t inside yet,” came Donna’s new voice loudly. She was holding her phone as if she had just received a text.

The juice heads jumped back.

“Fine!” Number One said. Number Two looked sad now. “You’re good to go.”

“I’ll tell my daddy what a good _little boy_ you are,” promised Donna, grabbing Raven’s hand and taking her inside behind her.

“Hopefully the worst part of the night is now behind us,” muttered Donna under her breath as they entered the foyer. There was another much older gentlemen there that directed them to where the gala was taking place silently with his hands.

“Give me a fight any day,” Raven agreed. She now vowed to herself she would not participate in any dancing whatsoever. The humming of chatter was becoming much louder as they walked through the mansion being directed by the occasional helping hand. They were everywhere, fortunately, dressed in black trousers and shoes with a slick white jacket and white shirt. The outfits were all finished with a black bowtie and white gloves. They never spoke other than a “this way madam” or the such.

Finally, five minutes of walking in, they entered the ballroom.

There was a large stage dowsed in red cloth against the far wall that a band of nearly ten members played orchestra-like music that several couples were dancing to. Raven thought there must have been two to three hundred people at least as she looked around, bringing her focus back in. That would complicate things. It would be harder to find out who was in charge if they didn’t present themselves at some point.

Nightwing had been right. She wondered how many events like this he had attended as an undercover agent with Batman. Groups of men in tuxedos old enough to be Dick’s father were separate from flocks of girls in colorful dresses that were about Raven’s age. Nearly everyone not dancing had a drink in their hand. Waiters and waitresses could be seen every ten to fifteen feet offering trays of different refreshments. One of the drunker men slapped a waitress on the behind as he took her drink. Raven’s jaw clenched as she saw the uneasiness on her face, though she kept walking away to get more as if nothing had happened.

As she and Donna got a good vantage point in the middle area of the hall to look around a waiter appeared in front of them. He offered his tray without looking them in the eyes or smiling. They declined as politely as they could, but he just wandered away as if he hadn’t heard them.

“No sign of the trio,” said Donna under her breath. “There’s no way they could be hiding in _this_ crowd.”

Raven agreed silently. Her eyes scanned the room, passing over the giggling girls holding cocktails and past the pigs in tuxedos. She looked for anyone who seemed _different_.

Several long minutes passed. They walked around, pretending to socialize. Waving here, looking impressed by something over there. Getting winks from men three times their age to long, withering looks from girls theirs. Raven noted one girl in particular that was behind them in a very nice red dress, looking sad and dejected. Raven wondered furiously if she hadn’t been allowed to be a part of the crowd because her head was shaved and she was overweight by their standards. There were a few older women in the corner not far along from her, drinking wine and glancing daggers any which way as if they kept hearing offensive terms. Raven and Donna paused again, not too far off from the assortment of girls. Nothing was really seeming out of the ordinary at this ridiculous party.

She was just wondering if perhaps Garfield was already in somewhere, a fly buzzing on the wall, when she heard a man near her gasp. She expected that it was at her, but she felt his attention elsewhere.

“Well if it isn’t the talk of the town,” he said to his friend in a low drawl.

Raven turned her head in the direction they were trying to covertly look in, and felt the breath leave her body.

There he was. Damian. He was dressed finely- an all-black suit fitted perfectly to his athletic frame. His hands were folded crisply behind his back and his chin was up, gaze staring ahead while looking at nothing at all. _Refined_. To the ones outside of the know, they would probably think he was the one in command here, both by his stance and by the way nearly everyone in the ballroom glanced his way. Some dubiously, some enviously, some wanting, and some just _staring_.

“I wouldn’t date Damian,” came Donna’s voice low in her ear, “but _damn_ if that boy ain’t pretty to look at.”

Raven chose again not to comment. She let herself indulge in a few more seconds of looking, feeling safe as Damian wouldn’t know it was her and it seemed to be what the other girls were doing anyway. She tore her eyes away from him reluctantly and looked about the room again. When were things going to get rolling?

What was probably the twentieth waitress that did so approached them. Donna shook her head infinitesimally towards her, but this one spoke with a soft undertone.

“They’re virgin cocktails,” she said. Raven and Donna both looked at her. “Please my ladies, the staff might be punished if you’re not seen enjoying the house refreshments when the bidding starts.”

Raven and Donna shared a look before they grabbed the lone two glasses from her tray. She smiled at them. Raven noted that this was the first of probably fifty helpers to have looked either of them in the eye…

“Are you enjoying the festivities?” she inquired softly, as if she were afraid of being rebutted or hearing an answer. Her blue eyes almost looked apologetic.

“Very much so,” replied Donna curiously. She must’ve noticed the same things Raven had.

The girl, probably a year or so younger than her and Donna, dropped her gaze to their knee level. “I-I’m sorry for holding up any of your time,” she spoke. If there had been chatter next to them, they probably would not have been able to hear the seemingly frightened girl, “but it’s just good to know that some truly are. But of course, forgive me, I may now the sole reason of why.” She sent a soft gaze over her shoulder as if she were intimidated at the thought of being caught. Raven followed it to Damian, who was now flicking his green eyes in several directions. He was getting more attention now than when he walked in.

“It’s an attractive face,” said Donna lazily with an air of uninterest. “Who is he? Whose little boy is that one?”

The waitress’s eyes were down and away. She seemed to be smiling to herself.

“Damian Al Ghul,” she answered. “He’s the prince of… well, anything around here, I suppose… Forgive me, I must fetch more drinks for the guests...” She turned and made her leave. Raven watched her go, her shinning white hair in a ponytail bouncing behind her in an elegant loose curl.

Donna gave Raven a quizzical look. Raven wasn’t sure whether to nod or not. Interesting? She supposed. Worthy of their mission tonight? She wasn’t so sure. But she’d remember her definitely.

“What’re you doing cowboy?” muttered Donna. Raven looked up and stilled. Damian must have decided he was being suspicious just standing there watching everything. He was walking now, straight to the wave of excited girls not far from where Donna and Raven stood, who were all watching him and hushing each other.

No… he wouldn’t….

Though Raven knew she had no right to it. No right to the possessive feeling that rose in her chest as her eyes followed him drifting across the floor to them. But she felt it. She just knew she couldn’t let it show.

Damian wasn’t hers…

He stopped in front of the middle of their group. A particular blonde was looking at him expectantly.

“Excuse me ladies,” he spoke sternly. Confusion rolled through their group and showed on their faces. Damian didn’t spare them a single look as he strode right past their incredulous faces.

He drew near to the girl that Raven had seen before. The one in red with the shaved head. She was still staring so gloomily at the floor that she hadn’t even noticed Damian approach her until he held out an elegant hand as an offering.

“May I have this dance?” he asked her. She looked up at him, more incredulous than the girls he just wafted away.

“Me?!” she replied. Her eyes were positively shinning.

Damian’s hard face changed- the furrow in his brow lightened fractionally and the corners of his mouth lifted. His eyes were softer.

There was a warmth in Raven’s chest as she watched her take his hand and let Damian lead her onto the dance floor, right past the group of grief-stricken bitches. Raven watched them dance, all eyes following as if a spotlight were on them, to the tune of a song that she found herself liking. She thought there was nothing wrong in sitting there and doting on their moment. Damian whispered something unintelligible to them in her ear and Raven’s heart elated as the girl laughed joyously. When the song came to an end, she looked as if she desperately wanted another. Damian stepped back, brought a handkerchief out from his suit pocket and placed it in her hand, bringing her knuckles up to his lips. Her face was to die for.

“We should keep looking around,” said Donna, tearing her own gaze away from them. Raven reluctantly agreed and glanced at the snobby girls off to their side. The blonde looked as if she was about to hurl her heels at them.

Smiling to herself, Raven walked with Donna around the room again. They hadn’t gone far before their eyes set on the stage. The band was beginning to clear away. Something was on.

“Have you found out anything yet?”

Raven’s head whipped around. Damian was there looking at her, his emerald eyes once again sharp. Raven gazed at him a second.

“No,” she answered hesitantly. “Nothing’s happened at all.”

“Nothing worth mentioning till a few minutes ago,” said Donna with a bemused expression pointedly at Damian. He glanced at Donna and refrained from an eye-roll or a sarcastic quip before looking back to her.

“No one’s aura feels particularly different to you, Raven?” he asked under his breath.

“Not yet.” She paused. “How did you know it was me?” she asked. When would he have seen what the rune cast would look like?

Damian looked her in the eye for a moment. Then his features slowly shifted again, just like they had when he asked that girl to dance, with the corners of his mouth ticking upwards. Without another word, he walked on to stand more in the center of things.

Raven stared, aware of her mouth was slightly gaped only after a few moments.

“Interesting,” said Donna.

Raven snapped towards her friend, eyes wide and face blazing, but Donna wasn’t looking at their interaction. An older, salt-and-pepper haired man was coming onto the stage. He was dressed as all the other helpers around.

“Gentlemen,” he only addressed, “the time of the hour has come. Witness what has brought us all together at this time.” He raised a hand and a large TV cascaded down from the ceiling. It begun to play as the lights dimmed.

“ _H.I.V.E Operations is proud to introduce-_ “ came a ladies voice from the surrounding speakers. Raven’s hand clenched as she realized what this meant. The trio wasn’t even here.

Not all the chickens in one coup, she thought. There was no need to have them physically here when they could just as easily show what they’re capable of this way.

“ _our finest selection. Gizmo, the boy genius capable of conquering any problem with an invented solution.”_ The screen showed the boy they had seen on the Titan’s monitors days ago using high tech equipment to rupture military grade drones and produce a force field blocking plasma blasters.

“ _Jinx, the enchanting sorceress whose powerful hexes mean bad luck for her enemies-_ “ there was now a small highlight reel of the pale skinned, magenta pink haired cosplay girl flipping around the same facility Gizmo was shown to be at, throwing pale pink energy from her hands to further drones and men in unmistakably soldier uniforms shooting at her. They were all taken down easily.

So this was them breaking into a foreign government’s facility, Raven thought. Good selling point.

“ _and Mammoth, the genetically enhanced giant whose unstoppable strength speaks for itself._ ” It now showed the brute in black and gold, sprinting straight through a tank. He laughed as he marched through it exploding around him, completely unfazed.

“ _Well-organized, highly trained, and combat equipped, these H.I.V.E agents are the perfect fighting force and, for the right price, this ideal team can be yours._ ”

The video stopped playing. It was short, but effective. Raven felt the excitement and astonishment of everyone around her. She didn’t want to risk a glance at Damian.

The elder gentlemen from before stepped back to the center of the stage and started the bidding. This night wouldn’t be a total loss, thought Raven as the bidding quickly soared past one million. They didn’t know who was in charge of the operations, but they knew what these metas were capable of. A government’s army facility was a cake-walk for them and their skills were a widely ranged. It would mean a tricky fight.

But they would also know _who_ was hiring them. Foolish to have an open bidding. Raven began glancing around at faces when the bidding began slowing past eight million dollars. The final price was nine point one million to a greasy man in the front. Most of the others groaned. Apparently they knew this man to be show-boating.

It was finally time to leave. Raven gave her untouched martini to one of the helpers and tramped her way out with Donna, ignoring the looks she was getting from the drunker men.

She basked in the fresh air once she got there and waited for her car to come around to pick them up. The other esteemed guests began filing out slowly. Many of the girls were now paired with older men who could be their fathers. Some were being scolded. Some of the girls were complaining about how long and boring that was. Some were walking out with their heads down while men old enough to be their father laid their hands on their bottoms as they left. She once heard something about “that guy who didn’t dance with her”.

Raven had an off-feeling suddenly. The familiarity of this urged her to look to where it was coming from. Just out of ear-shot to her right, a withered man was speaking to Damian. She didn’t try to grab his attention, just considered the evenness of the expression his was keeping compared to what she felt he was feeling.

There was this… sadness coming from him again, as he spoke to this old man. His posture was still formed well with his hands behind his back, but she could start to see it in his eyes now. It wasn’t overtaking him. But there was more sorrow in him right now than what she wanted there ever to be. She wondered if she shouldn’t try to interrupt.

Damian nodded his head at something the old man said. The elder bowed his head before walking away. Damian wouldn’t glance her way, but she had the distant feeling he knew she was staring at him. She could feel his emotions beginning to be walled off again.

“Hey,” said Donna in her ear. Their car was here. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

Raven tried to be more invested in Donna’s very unclever joke, but she couldn’t shake what she was just feeling. Nor could she shake the feeling that Damian’s gaze was on her back as she reentered the car.

~

“I heard him say to a couple of girls he’s moving his operations out of Central City,” said Conner.

It was nearing midnight. They had all met back at the Titans Tower’s common room and began debriefing each other of what went on. Garfield had nothing of high note. He had spent a majority of the time as an annoying fly the staff kept trying to kill (and nearly succeeded). He’d checked every room. Other than some naughty helpers helping themselves to the expensive wine, some others using the diversion of the gala to sneak into a bedroom or so, there was nothing at all. The trio nor the new person in charge were there.

Damian had only been able to relay much of the same that Donna and Raven had. He spoke nothing of the old man he had talked to before he left, which was something Raven was more and more avidly curious about. He’d hardly glanced at her since he walked in.

Conner, however, had kept a terrible eye on things but came up big when the purchaser of the trio’s talents took his leave.

“Giovanni, he said his name was.” relayed Conner. “He was telling the girls he left with that he had big plans and that it would bring waves of business in.”

“That could mean almost anything,” Kori noted.

Nightwing nodded. “But it’s a start. We have a name, we have what they’re capable of. We’ll get some more work done with hands on the ground and force them out of hiding starting tomorrow. Good work team.”

They all nodded, looking rather pleased with themselves. Damian shared a look with Nightwing before heading off, watched by Raven.

And Cassie.

“Off to bed so soon?” she inquired with an interested look on her face. “No… movie to wind down maybe?”

“It’s been a pretty long night,” chimed in Donna loudly, stepping in front of her Amazonian sister. “Most of us who had to actually _do something_ are feeling pretty tired. I mean, I can barely get the awful smell of alcohol out of my nose, am I right?” She laughed.

“I’m down for a movie,” said Garfield hopefully. Cassie gave him a look that plainly said he just didn’t get it. But she shrugged anyway and made her way over to the sofa with Jaime, Conner, and Donna.

“You coming?” asked Donna. Raven shook her head and laid her fingertips over her temple to signal that she had a headache.

She heard “No freaking Star Wars again Jaime, I swear to God,” before she walked out and made her way up to her own room. She sat on her bed absently thinking that she couldn’t feel Damian’s emotions from just a few rooms over anymore. She had felt them when she stood in the lobby as he made his way back up the elevator. Was he trying to become _that_ closed off?

Her late night worry overcame her. She got up and walked briskly to his room, knocking on the door twice.

No answer.

She tried again. “Damian,” she called. “Are you okay?” There was still nothing. Her eyebrows were knit in worry now and she moved the door on her own, opening it up.

She walked in. He wasn’t there. His bed was empty. His bathroom door was open and the light was off. It was silent. She gazed at the starlit night sky over the city lights out of his floor-to-ceiling window view.

He’d gone patrolling. A full day of mission coverage, and he’d gone out patrolling in the first second he got. It was now just past midnight.

Raven sighed as she made to leave, but paused before she turned. Right there on the floor was the suit he’d worn at the gala.

Damian was notoriously meticulous. He must’ve been in a right state if he tore out of it as fast as he could and not bothered to throw it into the hamper or hang it, confirming Raven’s suspiscions that something had bothered him.

She gazed for a long moment at the black silk shirt he’d worn.

Please don’t, she thought weakly to herself. She could feel her will giving in to want in her sleepy state.

Raven bent low, picking up the shirt in her hand. She rolled the elegantly soft material in her fingers, caressing it.

Please don’t do it.

Raven lifted the silk shirt to her face, inhaling deeply. Goosebumps erupted all along her skin and she took in his scent. She stood there for a moment in a euphoric daze before she came to her senses, dropping the shirt where found it, and practically fleeing the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone who found this story interesting enough to give chapter two a chance. Be well.


	3. The Legacy of the Al Ghuls

Training had been vigorous the next few days for those attended it. Nightwing pulled one or two of them away each morning for recon work and wouldn’t return until well after dark. Raven had accompanied he and Garfield to an undisclosed warehouse the purchaser had acquired under a different holding name. They’d come across armed guards, illegal weapons, and a large amount of unprecedented cash that Raven had to swat Garfield to keep away from.

“The more and more we look into this guy, it’s obvious that he’s not in the big leagues,” Nightwing had said to Kori in the comms room late that night. “It’s good that we’ll get him and his goons off the streets, but we need to let him lead us to the big gun calling the shots behind this team.”

They still had not seen physical hide nor hair of the trio of meta-mercenaries. Damian had come away with an actual date of when this buyer would meet them in person, but it wasn’t for another week.

Starfire looked thoughtfully on how to proceed.

“Let’s lay off for a couple of days,” she had said. “We don’t want to alert them to how close we are to their nest. We know the day they meet this… team from H.I.V.E. That’s what we want.”

“I agree babe,” said Nightwing. He and Kori shared a look and a tentative smile, while made Raven swiftly bow out of the room.

By the next morning, a more relaxed atmosphere had returned to Titans Tower.

“It’s nothing like that!” Raven heard as she entered the kitchen area for a midmorning tea. Jaime, Garfield, and Conner were all there, dressed in casual attire, chatting away over a pile of small sandwiches and chips.

“Well let’s get an expert’s opinion,” said Conner. He raised an eyebrow suggestively Rave’s way as she made her tea.

“You mind coming to join us? We’re trying to clear Gar up on how he’s _feeling_.” He smirked.

Raven was curious enough, so she sat down at their table next to Conner across from the other two. Jaime and Superboy were grinning devilishly, but Garfield was looking more disgruntled than ever. And a little… embarrassed? Upset?

“What’s going on?” asked Raven, sipping her tea, relishing the extra dose of honey in it.

“Our _hermano_ here obviously has got a crush on the new Wonder Girl,” said Jaime, sniggering. Garfield looked like he just wanted to ignore them. “But he won’t admit it to himself.”

Raven glanced at Beast Boy. He was looking away from them, a sort of nonchalant expression on his face.

“It’s a _physical attraction_ ,” he said in an unusually gritted voice, “it’s different from _actual_ affection.” His eyes flashed uncertainly towards Raven. She guessed he wanted her to confirm this or something.

“That’s fair,” she said, shrugging.

“ _Oh?_ ” said Conner. He cocked his eyebrow as he turned more towards Raven. “Sounds like you know what he’s going through. Who do you have… _physical attraction for,_ Raven?”

Raven would have had no problem saying who she thought was good looking. It’s hardly an important issue, she believed. But something about the way Conner inquired it, and the fact he now seemed… closer to her, almost as if he was in her bubble, made her keep her mouth closed. She moved on.

“Have you thought about asking her on a date?” Raven asked Garfield.

“No,” he replied firmly. “I just think she’s attractive, that’s _all._ ”

“Well maybe she finds you physically attractive _hermano_ ,” said Jaime, grabbing another sandwich.

“Yeah,” chimed in Conner. “I mean, other than you looking a little off-color recently.”

“You have been looking a bit tanner lately.”

“Knock it off guys,” said Raven as Garfield slumped his head in his hand. “Leave him alone. Gar looks fine.”

“ _Oh yeah!_ ” said Jaime suddenly. “That totally reminds me. _Raven_ has seen Garfield naked before! How was it?”

Before Raven could give her scathing reply, they heard a gasp from the door.

“What?”

Damian and Dick were both standing in the doorway- Dick looking a little surprised, before smirking, Damian gaping, switching his gaze back and forth between Raven and Garfield underneath his mask.

She felt scrutinized, not knowing how to react under his gaze like this. He was looking at them as if they had just dropped from the moon.

“You’re going to have to elaborate,” said Conner in a more serious manner. Raven hadn’t noticed that Conner was glancing back and forth between them as well.

“There’s nothing to say,” said Raven. She focused on remaining steady.

“Who would ever have thunk?” said Nightwing. He was smirking as he always had when juicy gossip presented itself.

Damian went to grab an apple for himself and washed it under the faucet. His face didn’t betray the whirl of emotions Raven could feel inside him…

“It’s nothing like that at all,” Raven said to Nightwing.

“Either way,” said Nightwing, waving his hand dismissively. He sounded like he didn’t believe her fully. “Training in an hour and a half. We need to work on synchronized attacks if we’ll be fighting team-to-team soon.”

The others nodded as Jaime’s phone went off. His face fell as he checked it.

“Everything okay?” asked Raven concernedly.

“It’s the center,” replied Jaime. “Traci’s been trying to raise what she can, but it’s not looking good. No one’s been donating to help buy the food lately…”

Raven and the others in the room grimaced. Gabrielle’s Horn was where the two had met over three years ago. She had really helped Jaime and Garfield both get back on their feet after the… Slade-Terra incident. And besides that, Gabrielle’s Horn had been fantastically serving the hungry of Jump City for years.

“I hope something pulls through,” she commented. Wishing there was more she could do. But she had no money to lend. None of them did. It’s not as though they were free to draw out of the account that funded the tower.

Jaime looked as if he appreciated the thought and returned to his eating. The silence was broken as Conner began chatting away about a game that Garfield and Jaime had both been looking forward to coming out. As they began to perk back up, something about a game set in 2077, Nightwing made a comment to Damian under his breath before they took their leave. They would probably be working through lunch.

Damian nodded stiffly, walking swiftly out. He hadn’t glanced their way at all.

~

Training that afternoon was brutal- for most.

Kori and Nightwing had decided to create a team resembling the trio they would be going up against. A titan of strength (Conner), a mystic who shoots energy from her hands (Raven), and someone who could probably pull a tool or machine out from anywhere for any situation (Beetle).

The first to go up against them had been Donna, Gar, and Robin. Robin, from past experiences, fought very well with Jaime, neither really able to get the upper hand. Donna, setting aside the one that she was fighting was her crush, went straight at Conner. Unfortunately for their team, however, Raven handled Beast Boy in moments. He shifted from a cheetah to a roadrunner to a Peregrine Falcon in an attempt to be too fast for Raven to catch onto with her powers- but the speed had been his undoing. She faked missing him badly in a panic and as he jet in close to her at seventy mile-per-hour speeds, she enabled a force field that he ran straight into with a very loud smack. Raven then quickly blasted Donna clear of Conner and turned her attention to the last fighting pair.

Robin was slashing his sword swiftly, his reactions immediately after a little too quick for Jaime to counter to. Raven watched as Robin leapt, avoiding Blue Beetle’s swing, and planted a swift kick straight to his chin.

“I got him,” called Conner cockily. He sped past Raven as a blur.

Robin didn’t hesitate. He unlatched something from the front of his belt and threw it like a shuriken straight at the oncoming Superboy.

Kryptonite.

Superboy dodged it from touching him, but the mineral affected him in being so close range. His face became disgruntled as he fell into Robin’s now oncoming fist that connected well to his jaw.

“For fuck’s sake,” muttered Raven. She lifted a hand as Superboy went down and encapsulated Damian in a sphere of dark energy.

“Done,” she said. She knew there was no way he could break out of it.

“Well done everyone,” said Kori. “Are you well enough to go again?” She asked Conner as Raven released Damian. He was rubbing his jaw.

“I’m fine!” he said defensively. He cast Damian an irate look over his shoulder.

“Then form up again,” said Kori, not bothering with the tension. “This time- myself, Nightwing, Garfield. Let’s go.”

“And let’s try to remember that this Mammoth guy probably isn’t weak to Kryptonite,” reminded Nightwing, smirking at Damian.

The matchups continued like that, switching up each go around, but they never got as close as that first time. Kid Flash was always one of the hardest ones to take down. Raven stayed airborne, working well keeping an eye on both Conner and Jaime. Kori had nearly gotten the upper hand on her one time, but Conner saved her before Starfire had toppled her with a double handed blast, swopping in and kicking Starfire to the side with probably a little too much gusto. He winked at Raven afterwards. She didn’t know how to take that.

“One more time,” said Kori to everyone. “Donna. Robin… Cassie.”

Raven glanced downwards unwillingly. Those last two hadn’t been paired together yet and she grit her teeth now seeing Cassie throw Damian a glowing look of admiration. Damian merely looked at her for a moment before turning back to the task at hand.

He looked up at Raven as well before crouching down with his sword out.

“Begin!” rang Kori.

Predictably, Damian went straight for Jaime, who looked ready for war. He had lost three of the four matchups against Robin so far. Donna bolted for Conner, who grinned appreciatively.

Cassie came straight for Raven- their first one-on-one matchup.

Raven fought the heightened hostility she felt down. They glided back and forth in the air, Raven deflecting Cassie’s punches with small bursts of dark energy. The were the precise same that Donna threw, but she fought like Conner, lacking a tactical mind, more just trying to brute force her way through. Only after hearing a cry to Raven’s left did Cassie relent.

Jaime had been dropped again. Laying on his stomach in pain. Robin was looking their way now, a smug smirk on his face.

“Never had a doubt,” said Cassie, flashing a smile.

Raven bristled. Attention turned back fully to the new Wonder Girl, her energy flowing out of her on its own accord suddenly, giving her a nightmare-ish aura.

Cassie had just had enough of a reaction to cross her arms in front of her upper chest and head when a jet of black energy blasted her backward shooting her like a rocket across the room and crashed her into the far wall so hard she left a crater in it, with several cracks going along from the floor to the ceiling.

“No,” gasped Raven.

“Cassie!” hollered Donna. She rushed forward in time to catch Cassie before her limp body hit the floor. Everyone rushed in to check if she was alright.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she was saying gruffly, already trying to shake out of Donna’s grip, “It’s what we’re training for guys, don’t worry about me.”

Kori and Donna both looked like they might argue, but it seemed unnecessary as Cassie stood tall. She turned to Raven.

“I didn’t know you were that hard of a hitter,” she admitted, looking impressed.

“I warned you of her strength when we first met,” said Damian before Raven could reply. “Why did you take your eyes off of her in the middle of a battle?”

Cassie glanced the other way, blushing. Raven suddenly felt she may not have hit her hard enough.

“How about we call it for the day?” interjected Nightwing, glancing between all of them. Oh, how he so wanted to dig into this.

“Agreed Nightwing,” commended Kori. “You all fought very well today. Rest up. Eat well.”

“Yeah, really enjoy that dry spinach tonight Garfield,” said Conner. Jaime laughed.

“You okay?” asked Wallace in concern. Cassie was rotating her shoulder.

“If anyone wants to give me a massage, be my guest,” she said airily. Raven could feel the guy’s intrigue to her throwaway comment.

Robin drew level with her.

“Will you be patrolling tonight?” asked Raven curiously. His mouth smashed into a hard line.

“No,” he said. “I have an early morning here tomorrow.”

Raven waited for him to elaborate, but he seemed uninterested. She was about to make her leave following the others when he spoke again.

“So,” he continued. “I had never noticed… when did you and Garfield… At what point were you two seeing each other?”

She stared at him. He had his hands on his hips and wasn’t looking Raven in the face. She could feel a burning desire and a curiosity in him that hadn’t seeped out into the tone of his words. Was this the “everything that goes on in the tower is my business?” or was it something else…

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he said softer, looking further away from her. “I’m sorry if it… didn’t en-“

“It was never like that,” Raven cut him off. “At all. It happened right here actually-“ she pointed to the middle of the room they were standing in now. “The day _you_ came. Garfield switched back to his human form and he’d just forgotten to wear clothes.”

Robin stared at her. “He forgot… to wear clothes? To Training?”

Raven shrugged. Only Garfield. Robin seemed to get it.

“Okay,” he said. His tone was still even, but something in him was now satisfied and content. “I’m glad it wasn’t something more intricated. I thought perhaps you two had attempted a-a relationship and were suffering from a consequential fallout.”

“Nothing like that,” assured Raven. Damian nodded. She smiled. She liked his curiosity into the matter.

“What are you up to in the morning?” she asked, feeling conversational, then immediately wishing she hadn’t. His facial features hadn’t changed, but the sorrow she had felt from him lately returned.

“You’ll see.” Was all he said. He nodded to her solemnly and left, Raven watching him go.

~

Dinner that evening had been an enjoyable affair. For the most part.

Garfield and Jaime had scooched all of the tables together and, after pleading with Damian and his worthy-to-be-sous-chef Dick, made a feast for them all to enjoy. Damian looked after a large rack of lamb, Raven’s personal favorite, constantly having Dick walk into the pantry to tear off fresh herbs to garnish it with, while baking shrimp rubbed in herbed breadcrumbs. After he set them out (along with a sort of potato-and-basil ravioli for him and Garfield and several side dishes made by Dick), talk and laughter was soon echoing in their lunch room.

Conner was waving his hands around as he retold a story of how he once saved the president to Donna and Cassie. They were shortly after laughing their heads off at something Wallace said. Kori and Raven chatted with Jaime and Gar about video games for once and Damian was letting Nightwing know that he had seen nothing about the new Batgirl’s identity in Gotham.

“But we’re still _sure_ he’s training her?” demanded Nightwing frantically. Being on the out of Batman’s loop for some reason had him a tad thrown off.

“We don’t know what this character identifies as,” Damian reminded him, wiping his mouth. “But yes, I’m pretty sure their skill is all father’s doing. Their fighting stances are almost indistinguishable. I think he’s not ready to tell us he has _another_ new underling, which is why he avoided me last week.”

“That son of a,” grunted Nightwing, drinking some of his lemonade. Damian smiled at his brother.

Raven glanced down the other way to where Donna was telling a wild story of her time at Themyscira to an intently listening Conner and Wallace. She saw Cassie’s eyes flickering down the tables. Raven covertly peeked and felt some of the joy deflate out of her as it was Robin whose eye she kept trying to catch. He hadn’t. But at this rate then soon…

She didn’t let herself think about it. Instead, Raven threw herself more animatedly than usual into conversation with Jaime and Garfield, the latter of which looked more than happy to oblige.

It was one of the longest dinners they had ever had, similar to the Christmas morning feast at Titans Tower last year. Conner had cried from laughter. It was one of the funnest nights in a long time, and though Garfield was glued to her side as they made their way back up to the rooms, she cast a glance behind her out of habit before she entered her room, catching Damian before he walked through his door. They didn’t linger for a long moment but smiled before passing through, each now content with ending the night.

~

Raven awoke for the second time that morning. She hadn’t bothered rising when she first opened her eyes at the crack of dawn. Twenty minutes more, she’d told herself.

She looked out to the fully risen morning sun and blinked rapidly.

Her phone binged from her nightstand. She leaned over and saw it Kori was texting her.

_You might want to get down here._

_Lobby floor._

Shit, thought Raven as she hurried. The one time she dozed off for any extra.

It hadn’t sounded entirely urgent, so she at least ran through a quick shower and hygienic process. She didn’t bother to use the elevator once she finished dressing into her leotard and cloak. She lifted a hand, palm outwards, and opened a portal to right where she sensed they were and walked through.

She had to double and triple check that she was in the right place. Even if she was standing next to every single one of her teammates.

The middle of the lobby was taken up by mounds of gold coins and nuggets that were taller than any of them, jeweled boxes and trinkets, towers of silver, and stones of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Raven speechlessly gazed from a golden crown fitted with sparkly diamonds to a set of armor intricately laid with gold. Then there was a beautifully made katana except the handle was pure gold and the blade itself pure silver. It went on and on. The Titans gazed at everything, none of them able to form a word. Even Donna and Cassie, who grew up probably bearing witness to the gold of Themyscira, were impressed.

Raven noticed more treasures in the form of art laid against the wall behind it all. A few sculptures, several large paintings, and priceless rugs were rolled up as not to take up space.

“What..?” Raven found herself asking.

“Behold,” came Damian’s voice dryly. Raven turned. He’d been standing there the whole time, a small ways away from the team. He, unlike most of them, was dressed in his uniform.

“The fortune of the Al Ghuls,” he gestured with a hand. He gazed sadly at its contents.

“So this is why you thought you were royalty,” murmured Jamie.

“Something like that,” said Damian, his eyes flickering to Raven. She hadn’t noticed yet, but someone was standing just behind him. She started as she recognized the withered old man he had spoken to the night of the gala. He was holding a clipboard and was tastefully dressed in a dashing grey suit looking very well put together, but his eyes were very tired, and though it was barely morning, he seemed to have had a very long day.

“What is all of this doing here?” asked Raven.

“I have been searching for Lord Damian for a few years now,” spoke the old man. His voice was stuffy. “To pass on his inheritance.”

Raven and some of the others looked at him. Garfield slowly reached a hand forward to one of the mounds but his hand was swatted by Kori, though she was eyeing a peculiar stone as well.

“So you’re filthy rich?” asked Cassie.

“Yup,” answered Nightwing for him. Damian must have told him about this beforehand. “Everyone in my family is but me apparently…”

Damian sighed. “Money is simultaneously a necessity and a distraction.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” said Jaime suddenly. He looked at the old man, his brow furrowed. “You were with Ras Al Ghul? You’re with the League of Assassins?” He turned to Damian. “What were you thinking _hermano_?! Leading this guy here? He-“

“I serve the Al Ghul line!” the old man thundered.

The entire team whipped around towards him. The look on the old man’s face was far more ferocious than Raven thought it could have ever managed as he stared hard at Jaime. Fury blazed in his tired eyes and from every line of his face.

“Diligently, _boy_!” he spat. “For twelve decades, I served Ras Al Ghul as he sought to correct the world from itself.” He was frenzied his loyalty had been called into question. “ _Nothing_ matters except correcting the wrong done to his lineage now.” He turned from their shocked faces with adoration in his eyes towards Damian.

“Blood was always the most important thing to your grandfather,” the old man told him. “Far before the league… he would have wanted this to be yours.”

Damian slowly turned his gaze from him to the mounds of treasure, some sort of resolve settling on his face. He walked forward and picked up a stone that Raven recognized as a pink sapphire and tossed it to Kori.

“Take what you guys want,” he told them all. Raven blinked. Damian turned back to the elder man. “Set aside everything that I’ve asked you to. After they’ve finished, catalogue everything left for auction. Ensure the profits go just like I said.”

The old man stood straighter.

“It will be done, my lord.”

Damian’s eyes tensed fractionally behind his mask. “And, when your work is done… may you rest well, Edward. Please, give my regards to my grandfather when you see him again.”

The jaws of the old man Edward worked. “My lord.” Was all he responded.

Damian turned from him and waved for his friends to begin looking through the gold. Raven was more hesitant than most of the others who dived right on in.

“You really don’t want any of this?” asked Garfield incredulously. He was holding a handsome silver goblet encrusted with rubies.

“ _TT_. There’s nothing in here that I-“ Damian was saying, but cut off short as he noticed something that lost his concentration. Raven watched him tenderly crouch to pick up a small, metal locket. He held it in the palm of his hand, using a thumb to flip it open. Raven thought she heard a faint musical tune.

After several long seconds, Damian snapped it shut, looking away from it entirely as he tossed it carelessly into the pile.

“Go crazy,” he told the team before walking away, hands folded behind his back under his cape. Raven couldn’t help but wonder what that was she witnessed just now. She looked at her teammates having fun in the pile of gold. Wallace was holding up a gold nugget the size of a pineapple and Donna was fancying a white-and-pale-blue diamond necklace she had found.

“This dude’s gonna auction all of this off?” said Conner in disbelief. “Can you imagine how rich Damian is going to be?!”

“The young master has already added all the financial wealth he’ll ever need to his banking accounts this morning,” spoke Edward solemnly. They all stopped digging through the jewels to look at him. “A majority of all the proceeds from when these treasures are auctioned off will go to several different nonprofit organizations.”

“Nonprofit organizations?” repeated Garfield, eyebrows knitted.

“It means _charities_ , ya idiot…”

The man Edward looked as if he had had the youth for it, he would have been rolling his eyes dramatically. He looked down at his clipboard for the first time.

“Parts of the final sale are to distributed as follows,” he said and began reading off, “two percent to _Daisy Louis Shelter_ … two percent to _Margot’s Pants and Shirts_ … four percent to _J. K. Williams Memorial Orphanage_ … _seven_ percent to _Gabrielle’s Horn_ -“

“ _What?_ ”

Jaime stopped dead in his tracks from examining a miniscule wood-and-gold treasure chest. He was staring at the man Edward in wide-eyed disbelief.

Edward flipped through the pages of his clipboard. “It’s a whole in the wall in the city limits of Jump City,” he said to them, unknowingly of their familiarity with the place, “to feed _soup_ to the unfortunate street inhabitants. Well… seven percent of what _this_ will bring will allow them to feed prime steak to all of the homeless people in Jump City for years to come.”

Raven looked around as all her friends turned their gaze from each other to the rich objects in their hands. Garfield looked sad, but laid the goblet he had been planning to take down with a smile of acceptance. Donna placed the necklace she had already tried on over a pile of yet untouched gold, and Kori returned the sapphire that Damian had tossed to her kindly where he picked it up from.

Anything they took from here was a dollar out of the pocket of someone who truly needed it.

The muscle’s in Jaime’s jaw were working wickedly as he nodded to himself, eyes closed. Garfield patted him on the back with a grin before they all began to make their way to the elevator, but before doing so, Raven thought she saw Jaime pocket a small ring.

One little thing wouldn’t hurt too bad.

The thought crossed her mind immediately again as she stopped from following them, something _not_ golden catching her eye. Swiftly, she flashed a hand out and took the metal locket Damian had tossed. They all took one last look at Edward and the billions of dollars of gold and treasures before the panel doors closed.

~

Early in the afternoon, Raven was knocking on his door. He opened it, still in his Robin suit.

“Hi,” she said.

“Raven,” greeted Damian. “What’s up?”

She shrugged. “Nothing yet.”

Damian looked down the empty and quiet hallway. Everyone else was having lunch.

“Would you like to come in?” he asked, attempting to sound nonchalant. Raven nodded and he stepped aside for her.

Damian had the most minimalistic bedroom Raven had ever seen. Probably because he spent so little time in here other than actually sleeping, she thought. There was the bed itself, the nightstands on either side, a desk pressed against the wall with a military-grade desktop that Batman had gifted each of the Titans, and a couple of swords that hung on the wall. Raven knew them to have belonged to his grandfather and mother.

“Did you all have fun earlier?” he asked her as she sat on the edge of his bed.

Raven nodded. “It was fun going through all of your stuff,” she said, smirking lightly. “No one really took much of anything though. But thank you for the offer regardless…”

Damian’s head inclined. “You didn’t see anything you want?”

Raven clenched her teeth, thinking of the locket she now had hiding behind her cloak.

“No,” she lied. “It was tempting though.”

She examined him as his expression turned more on the anxious side.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. He had removed his mask.

“I…” he shut his eyes tightly. “I got something for you.”

This surprised Raven. “What? When? From where?”

“When Edward had his men first start bringing everything in,” he told her. He opened the top drawer of one of his nightstands and pulled out a box. He walked over and sat down beside her.

“I saw it and I thought of you,” said Damian, looking at the box in his hands. Raven couldn’t take her eyes off his. “I thought, with everything, that maybe… well, if you don’t like it, I can take it back down to him.”

“Let me see what it is,” said Raven gently. Damian’s eyes met hers. There was a tender, but guarded look in them.

He removed the lid and delicately pulled out a stunning bracelet of black diamonds. Raven heard herself gasp as Damian displayed it dangling off his fingers.

“Damian,” breathed Raven, “it’s beautiful.” She took it from his fingers to her own. It reflected the light beautifully, but not enough to deteriorate what you were looking at.

“I-“ started Damian, then he cleared his throat and spoke more clearly. “I inquired about it. Twelve stones, each over three carats. It’s origin is from somewhere near my homeland.” He told her as she tried it on. It fit perfectly, with just that little bit of wiggle room that you wanted.

She gazed at it for a long moment, then to him. His eyes were shinning with curiosity.

“Thank you.”

The corners of his mouth were tilted upward again as he gazed back at her. He glanced away. “So pleased you like it,” he said.

“It’s perfect,” she said, not taking her eyes off him. “And I have _some_ outfits to go with it.” He scoffed that turned into genuine laughter with her. They returned to gazing at each other wordlessly.

Raven wanted to tell him the truth.

“I lied,” she said. “About not taking anything,” she added hurriedly, because Damian’s eyes had gone wide with a freaking out thing.

Raven bit her lip. “I took this before we left.” She brought out the rusted metal locket that fit well within the palm of her hand.

Damian stared it for a moment or two, stunned. Then his eyes closed and he held out his hand, which Raven placed the locket in. Damian took in a deep breath and let it out as his eyes opened again, gazing softly at the little locket.

“You saved it,” he murmured, running his thumb over the rusted metal.

“Yes,” Raven confirmed. She waited, but he said nothing. “It was yours when you were younger?” She inquired. He took another moment before answering.

“No,” he said, and his voice was sadder than probably any other time Raven had ever heard before, “no… it was my mother’s.”

“My grandfather bought this for her a long time ago when she was just a little girl one day when they were wandering the market. It’s just a regular musical locket merchants liked to sell to fathers for their little girls. And she wanted it… She kept it her entire life. It’s not encrusted in diamonds or unattainable jewels… it wasn’t taken from the neck of some queen when her empire was defeated by the league… it’s just a musical locket that she liked. Because it sounded and looked pretty. This is proof that my mother once had a personality, and it was innocent.” His eyes rose to meet Raven’s. “This is proof my mother once had a soul.”

Raven let everything he just said resonate with her. Trying to swallow down what felt like a hundred different emotions as she stared into his eyes. Him staring right back into hers.

It’s right there to be said. Just say it.

Does she want you to do it? She’s done this. Just take the chance. Go on…

Moments passed. Perhaps their heads fractioned closer to each other. Perhaps not.

“ _Titans!”_ rang Kori’s voice loudly over comms and they jumped back apart. “ _Urgent briefing in two minutes!”_ She hung up.

Raven looked wildly around the room. Her and Damian were both breathing heavily. Tentatively, they looked at each other again. Neither knowing what to say first.

“It… sounds urgent,” said Damian slowly. Cautiously.

“It does,” agreed Raven reluctantly. They hadn’t stopped staring at each other.

“We should go.” It sounded like a question.

Raven nodded infinitesimally. “Yes. We should.”

Cautious with ever move of their muscles, as if breaking this atmosphere would ruin everything, they walked almost rigidly to the door. It slid open and Damian stood aside for Raven to go first.

It felt like electricity was coming off of each other as she walked past him, her cloak brushing his front.

Someday… very soon, they were going to have to talk about this, Raven decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for anyone who gave me a third try. The only thing I really have to say of note is that I will be writing from Damian's point of view for the next two-to-three chapters. And that I sincerely hope you enjoyed.


	4. Lost Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I've introduced a character who is quiet and reserved in the comics. On a whim, I made her talkative and sprightly here. I beg her fans forgive me. And please enjoy the show.

Damian and Raven made their way down to the comms room, throwing missed glances at each other from the corner of their eyes, to find a tense Starfire and Nightwing.

“Hey,” said Nightwing as they entered, “Batman just called in. The big guy himself is going to be here in a minute.”

Damian paused. “Father’s here? What is he doing in Jump City?” It and Gotham were at opposite edges of the country.

Nightwing shrugged, a focused look on his face. “I’m not sure, it was out of the blue. But you know your father, whatever he does, it’s not for nothing.”

Damian fought off a caustic response. Raven glanced at him sideways, the top half of her face shrouded by her hood. A cacophony of loud, complaining voices down the hall told them that the team was arriving, and, sure enough, all except Superboy came gradually filling into the comms room, Garfield and Jaime leading the way with sullen expressions of their faces.

“We were _this_ close to high scores guys,” wailed Gar.

“Knock it off,” said Nightwing. “Batman is-“

“Listening to every word you’re saying.”

They all whipped around, caught off-guard. Jaime and Garfield actually jumped.

Standing there, rather impressively framed in the open doorway, was the Dark Knight of the Justice League himself. As it always had when Batman was around, the atmosphere changed considerably to something more morose. The Titans felt the need to give him a wide berth, though he had not yet entered. He shared a long look with his son before changing over to Nightwing.

“You’ve all been busy,” he commented. Like Raven with her cloak, Batman’s body disappeared almost entirely under his cape when he stood stagnate like this, but mysteriously this only seemed to highlight his presence further.

“We’ve been scouting H.I.V.E developments for the last two weeks,” said Kori in a very business-like manner. “Everything has been leading us further towards an unusual trio of mercenaries they’ve been deploying.”

“The H.I.V.E academics,” said Batman. Nightwing perked up.

“You know about them?” Whatever Batman had just been about to respond with was drowned out a much higher pitch from an unknown source.

“We’ve been looking into them too!” The voice had said excitedly.

Everyone started as a head popped out from behind Batman. He did not comment or move the conversation forward as this person stepped out from his back as though she had been camouflaged to his cape to get a better look at them all.

Damian’s mouth was the first one to recover. Nearly three heads shorter than Batman, she (it was obviously a _she_ ) was dressed head-to-toe in a custom made Batsuit of her own, complete with cape and full-face cowl. There wasn’t an inch of her skin left to the eye.

“You must be the son, Nightwing.” she said. She held her hand out as if to shake his, but they were still across the room for each other. Realizing this problem, the new Batgirl made her way to him, hand outstretched the entire time. When she got there, through powers unknown, Nightwing managed to shake it with a straight face.

Damian stared at his father in disbelief. Even from behind his cowl, he saw that Batman was refusing to meet his eye.

“I’m Batgirl,” she said very firmly.

“An honor,” said Nightwing. “I’m Nightwing. And, _yeah,_ the first _adopted_ son. This is Starfire-“

“Oh, I already know all of your names,” she assured him. Cassie and Donna shared a glance as the new Batgirl pulled her mask off.

“Whew,” she said in relief. “It gets hot under there. Oh! Wait, shit, was I not supposed to-“

“It’s fine,” said Batman quickly. “You’re in good company.”

Batgirl nodded. She had black, tangled hair in a sort of a bouncy bob that barely fell to chin length, chocolate-brown eyes, a complexion similar to Damian’s, and a friendly smile as she looked around at them all expectantly. Damian thought there was something oddly familiar about her face…

“I’m Cassandra,” she noted. “You can call me Cassie.”

“Cassie Jr maybe,” said Garfield. Jaime nudged him in the ribs.

“We’ve been looking into the new H.I.V.E operations for little over a month now,” said Batman, trying to get things back on track.

“Why?” asked Nightwing, obviously wanting to know more about his dealings with the new Batgirl by the way he was observing her.

Batman swiftly stepped past them all to where Nightwing and Starfire stood, bringing out a computer drive from beneath his cape and inserting it in. They watched as on the largest monitor the trio of meta-mercenaries appeared again, frozen while attacking something.

“H.I.V.E has been deploying them for nearly two months now,” said Batman. “They were attempting to interlace operations with the League of Assassins-“

“But my mother wouldn’t allow it,” said Cassandra happily.

“Your mother?” asked Nightwing in surprise. It clicked in Damian’s head how she looked familiar.

“Lady Shiva,” he said, realizing it. The others looked at him. “Your mom is Lady Shiva?”

“Yup,” said Batgirl. Damian slid his gaze robotically to Batman.

“And your _father_?”

“Is _not_ Batman,” she declared before Batman could. “He’s… not important right now. What is important is that my mother me and Batman a month ago saying the new leader of H.I.V.E was trying to use their old connections to get the league to coerce with them.”

“The League sells out to nobody,” said Damian tightly. Cassandra nodded.

“Right,” she went on, “but this person _does_ have prior connections with the League, albeit it’s a pretty rocky one.”

Batman clicked a button and the screen changed from the trio to a singular girl right about Damian’s age with shinning white hair and bold blue eyes. He gaped as he recognized her.

It couldn’t be…

Raven gasped and Donna followed suit. She looked to Nightwing and Batman.

“Wait. We know her!”

“How?” demanded Batman. The others listened intently.

“She was a waitress at the H.I.V.E gala,” Raven explained. She looked at Batman. “She was the only one who actually spoke to us.”

Kori folded her arms. “Raven- why didn’t you tell us?”

“It really didn’t stand out there too far, Kori,” Donna picked up. “She honestly just asked us if we were enjoying the party and sh-she-“ Donna stuttered, now feeling every minute detail seemed vital, “she pointed at Damian. She called him the _prince of everything_ around there.”

Damian stared. He would have thought that that was worth sharing before. He glanced at Raven, who was looking tense.

“Her name is Rose Wilson,” informed Batman. “She’s the daughter of-“

“Deathstroke,” finished Jaime. He and all the others who were there captured by he and Brother Blood were wearing similar masks caught between grief and frustration.

Batman simply went on. “Though we’ve learned they didn’t get along for a few years prior to his death, it seems Slade left her quite the inheritance.” And Damian remembered Slade had just been massively paid twenty minutes before his death. “After a lengthy court process, it finally cleared past the lawyers early this year. She immediately begun refunctioning H.I.V.E.”

She’s been playing a very smart game with its operations, but lately she’s gotten reckless. We intercepted transmissions with the Bat-Computer she’s been sending out for the last couple of weeks, tracing her to a facility a hundred and thirty miles north of here.”

“Do we know what’s causing her to slip up?” asked Nightwing.

Batman took a moment to answer. And when he did, his tone was a shade more strained.

“She’s been looking everywhere for Damian _Al Ghul_.”

Damian processed that faster than the others. “She thinks she can recruit me to do her bidding?” he inquired blandly as everyone glanced his way.

“The takeaway of the information we commandeered is that she believes you _owe_ her something,” said Batman. He declined his head his son’s way.

Damian grimaced. All of their attention was on him again. He could suddenly feel Raven’s gaze burning him from his side.

He dropped his gaze and sighed as he recollected what he remembered. It was nothing he was looking forward to share.

“Rose and I were promised to each other,” said Damian, trying hard to speak only to his father. The surprise of his team was evident in their stunned silence. “After it became apparent to grandfather that you were not willing to… _reinvent_ yourself to follow in his footsteps and take up the mantle of Ras Al Ghul, he looked to different options.”

“Which is why he and Talia planned for you,” said Batman. He was still caught off-guard. A rarity.

Damian continued. “But on the off-chance I wasn’t naturally the fighter he had hoped for, he made contingencies. Deathstroke felt he had been wronged horrendously by being skated over after years of proving his worth and loyalty to the League. So they had come to a truce, that _obviously_ didn’t last- Slade would be Ras Al Ghul, but I would marry into his family so that grandfather’s blood stayed in the royal line of the League.”

They all took a moment to process his information. Damian stilled the powerful urge he had to glance to his side. His father was looking at him, and he knew he couldn’t fold. Not now. Not when a potential mission was underway.

Cassie’s (Wonder Girl’s) eyebrow was arched high. “And none of that happened because…?”

“I was even better than grandfather had been hoping,” answered Damian matter-of-factly. “So Slade was ousted as Ras Al Ghul. I was promised the mantle and the inheritance of the League of Assassins when I was ten years old. Deathstroke attacked Nanda Parbat just weeks after in retaliation.”

Garfield low-whistled. The Titans were trying to work out where to go next from here and what to do with the information they’ve been given.

“Did you ever meet her?” asked Nightwing, his easy smile returning. Seriously? How did _this_ qualify as juicy gossip.

Damian fought off a groan. “Twice. Once when I was six, and again when I was nine. I hadn’t even been born yet when the promise was made. Rose wasn’t even one at the time.”

“Why would she be looking for you now?” asked Donna.

Damian raised his shoulders up and let them fall. “She gets me, she gets the League, I suppose. I was the one acclaimed to rightfully inherit it by grandfather. If I go back there, I’m the Demon’s Head… Do we know why she wants their specific expertise?” He asked his father.

“Not yet,” said Batman. As he turned to press another button, Damian gave way and finally glanced at Raven. Her mouth was twisted down and her eyes were looking away from him.

The screen blinked. Another estate, smaller than the manor the gala had been hosted at, sat on a hill with a sprawling view of the hillside.

“This is where she’s been stationed,” said Batman. “Batgirl and I were investigating the area last night. The H.I.V.E academic trio are there as well. There’s a small underground compound that’s been built into the hill directly below the home.” He turned to his son.

“We need you to infiltrate their ranks,” he said.

“If we know where they’re at, can’t you just get Superman to dive in there real quick and pull her out?” asked Wallace. Batman considered him for a moment. Damian had the distinct feeling that if that had been an obtuse question by Garfield or Jaime, he’d have given them a sharp reply. But his father seemed to liken Wallace’s curious attitude for wondering about winning situations.

“Bludgeoning in there without knowledge of what their plans and goals are could cause a leak that could potentially cause future problems,” he said. “We need to get a hand in there and efficiently pull out information. Clean this up.”

“And that is _not_ a job for Superman,” said Nightwing, grinning. Damian almost thought he saw a smile on his father’s lips.

“Cassandra,” he said suddenly, and both jumped to attention. “Give Robin the lenses.”

“Yes sir,” said Batgirl. She unclipped something from the front of her belt. It turned out to be a Batarang.

“Oh, shit,” she said. “Wait.” She unlatched an explosive. “No- I knew what that was, ha, ha, let’s see-“

“Tell me you _brought_ them,” said Batman in real irritation.

“I’m still getting used to this thing,” Cassandra defended herself. She began going back through her belt, seemingly muttering to herself. “Let’s see. That’s the smoke thing, this would be the EMP deal, then here would be… aha! Boom. Right here.” She happily pulled out a small container for contact lens.

Batman let out a sigh of relief. Nightwing looked more amused than ever.

Cassandra handed the container to Damian importantly. “Lucius Fox, who works for your father if you didn’t know, made these. They’re an ultra-high-tech security lens that will be nigh-undetectable. It will feed your team everything you see and hear.”

Damian took them, ignoring her fist comment. He looked to his father, but out of respect, he acknowledged the actual team leader first.

“Should we go through with it?” he asked Kori.

She nodded. “If you’re sure you won’t give yourself away… It’s too good of an opportunity to pass up.” Damian nodded.

“We’re going to use Shiva to get into contact with Rose,” said Batman. “She’ll pretend to have tracked down Damian for her. You’ll arrive, feigning interest in their operations. You may be expected to stay for a few days.”

Damian nodded.

“It’s settled,” agreed Kori, her posture taut.

“Well now that that’s all taken care of,” said Cassandra. She placed her forearm on Batman’s side and proceeded to lean on him like he was a wall, looking up at him happily.

“We staying for lunch?” she asked, oblivious to the room of shocked faces. “I’m not really crazy about getting back into that cramped _Batjet_ thingy you got just yet. I need more than those chewables we had for breakfast and it’s a _looong_ way back to Gotham.”

Batman gazed back down at her steadily. He appeared already used to this unusual behavior. “We can stay for lunch,” he relented.

“Sweet!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms up in victory. She was just about to say something when she glanced at Raven, her posture going a tad more formal.

“Could you, uh, show me where the kitchen is?”

Raven nodded. Damian shared a look with his father before he followed them out. He still hadn’t eaten either.

He thought to himself as he walked behind them, watching the new Batgirl trying to fidgetily make conversation with Raven. Their moment just a half-hour ago now seemed days past. He sadly felt Raven was trying to avoid eye contact with him.

“A realm called Azarath,” Raven was saying as they entered the lunchroom area. She took some spare lamb chops from the fridge and put several on a plate.

“Don’t put them in the microwave,” muttered Damian, stopping her. “They’ll get congealed. I’ll reheat them for you.” Raven seemed to have swallowed a thank you as she nodded infinitesimally, looking at his collarbone. Damian grimaced after she walked past. He set to work heating a skillet and laying the chops tenderly in there, doing what he could to salvage them as he vaguely listened to them talk from the table. Cassandra was inquiring about Raven’s life.

He placed the refinished chops back onto the plate, grabbed himself an apple, and joined them. Cassandra’s eyes popped before she noticed what Damian was having.

“Well you’re a man of simple taste,” she commented eyeing the plain fruit.

“Damian is vegan,” said Raven, looking gracious that there would be no need to give him a sharing of the warm food. Damian smiled as she dropped her hood and began eating.

“So,” said Cassandra, “what are your plans for when you see your _betrothed_ again?”

Damian nearly choked swallowing a mouthful of apple. He tried to answer evenly, flicking his gaze to Raven, who was chewing with her eyes closed as if simultaneously meditating.

“She’ll be expecting a stand-offish Al Ghul,” said Damian firmly. “I’ll be keeping myself aloof as if I were better than even being there.”

“So just like Batman when he’s around the Justice League,” nodded Cassandra. Damian laughed hard once as Nightwing and his father came in.

“Gordon called,” informed Batman looking at his new protégé. “Killer Croc escaped Arkham. We’re leaving- now.”

“Sure thing, boss,” said Cassandra. Her eyes turned back to Raven, and Damian noted uncomfortably that there was little tenderness there.

“You ever find your way to Gotham much?” she asked.

Raven glanced at her. “No. I’ve only been twice. It has its charm, but the Titans aren’t ever needed there.”

“Well, if you ever find your way back around-“

“Cassandra,” cut off Batman, “ _now_.”

Cassandra sighed dramatically and got up from their table. “Alright, alright,” she grumbled. When she got to him, she folded her arms and gave him a look, obviously trying to communicate something. Before anything else could be said, several of his teammates wandered in, Superboy with them.

“Sorry for missing that,” said Conner to Nightwing. “I left my comms here at the tower as I flew around trying to figure out where to grab lunch from. I didn’t notice anything was going on.”

“The Kents will be interested to know how you leave the team unequipped to _fly around_ ,” said Batman. Conner flinched. He looked like he was about to defend himself, but Nightwing held a hand up.

“ _Relax_ ,” he said, smiling himself. “He’s joking.”

“How can you tell?” demanded Conner, staring at Batman. The Dark Knight’s face hadn’t even minuscule changed.

“You get the hang of it,” said Cassandra, who was now staring at Conner similarly to how she had Raven. Her gaze lingered, and from behind Conner, Donna crossed her arms and glared in a disgruntled fashion.

“We’ll get in contact with Shiva on our way back to Gotham,” said Batman. “The sooner we get Robin in their midst as Damian Al Ghul, the better. We need him to be in place to meet their buyer.”

Nightwing nodded. With another look at each of his sons, Batman turned and made his leave. Cassandra followed suit, but not before wagging her eyebrows at Conner, who looked surprised by the action. Damian watched him grin guiltily, almost as if he were caught cheating, at Donna, who stormed off, thinking he may as well enjoy their antics while he could. Damian Al Ghul never had time for such things…

~

That night Damian was in his room staring at the greatest piece of “treasure” he had had Edward leave behind.

Magnificently structured armor. Fit for both a gladiator and royalty. Detailed with intricate fine gold lining. A red cape hung from beneath the shoulder cauldrons, cascading down the back.

Lady Shiva had answered Batman immediately when he called and gotten back to him about arranging what he asked before he and Cassandra landed back in Gotham. He knew they had a resounding respect for each other as he briefly remembered that they had years ago gone toe-to-toe with neither getting an advantage, something they had each been not accustomed to. Damian wondered absently what would be the outcome if he and Cassandra had fought.

A knock came lightly on his door.

“It’s open,” called Damian, guessing it was either Raven or Nightwing.

It slid open and Raven was revealed. She walked in, her hood up, not taking her eyes off Damian.

“I heard you’re leaving in the morning,” she said.

Damian nodded grimly. “I’m having a driver get me before noon. An Al Ghul would never drive themselves when their minds can be working on more important matters.” He told her, looking back at his old armor, now fitted for his current body.

Raven was appraising it as well. There was an odd look in her eyes.

“Will you be wearing this as well?” She asked in a strange voice.

“I’ll be taking it in any case,” said Damian, his eyebrows knitting at her. “Why?”

“No reason,” said Raven at once. She cast a quick glance around the mainly barren room and noticed the large painting he had now leaning against the far wall.

“What is that?” said Raven interestedly. Damian fought off a smile as she walked past. He had wondered if she would like it.

“It belonged to my grandfather. One of his most cherished possessions,” he said, folding his arms behind his back. He appraised it alongside Raven. Fairly large, the painting consisted of a woman fetching water by a bucket at night, a peaceful look on her face. Damian likened to think that she may have been humming to herself.

“He was an artist?” inquired Raven.

“No, one of his oldest friends painted this,” informed Damian. “Leonardo Da Vinci.”

Raven blanched, casting Damian an unbelieving look. He smiled at her.

“They… mentored each other,” he told her. “Late in the fifteenth century. My grandfather was still new to the Lazarus Pit and his mission in the world when he came across Da Vinci. They confided a lot in each other… A part of me thinks that it was this friendship that kept my grandfather in code with things like honor and respect, away from most of the murdering lunatics of the world.”

He hesitated. He remembered now that Raven had once called the man a demon. Something which was proven right in the following days. With her empathic abilities, he thought, she probably knew him better than he ever did. He wouldn’t argue it if she rebuffed him just now.

Raven only mused at the painting. “Who is she?” she asked instead.

Damian shrugged. “Just a normal girl from a village not far from where Da Vinci stayed. My grandfather told me the man once had affection for whoever she was, and that Da Vinci described her as kind and gentle. But grandfather never mentioned a name.” He observed the woman as well. There was nothing very remarkable about her, in his opinion. But, he supposed… there was something beautiful that beauty was seen in her, regardless.

Damian glanced sideways. Raven was still admiring it. He cleared his throat.

“I have no real intentions for it,” he said to her. “If you would like it?”

Raven quickly turned her head to him. “I couldn’t.”

Damian shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “I see no reason why not. You seem to like it much more than I do. It would be more fulfilling if someone who enjoyed it kept it.”

Raven considered this. “Why did you keep it?”

It was an unexpected question. He thought about it. “Well… now I have something from them both that… reminds me of their better selves.” The locket was still laid on his nightstand.

Raven nodded, her mouth turning upwards at the corners. “Thank you.”

Damian nodded. Their moment from this afternoon returned to his mind for probably the tenth time that day. They still hadn’t spoken about. It was what he wanted to do more than anything, as they stood here alone, admiring something of beauty.

But there was always something more that needed to be done. And always that something laid far beyond themselves. Lives at stake with every action they made. Damian knew he must turn his focus away from this presently, something that Raven must’ve understood, as they bid goodnight without looking each other in the eye.

His thoughts went unwillingly to Rose Wilson and her mercenaries and the damage they could cause, the information he would miss out on if he was anything less than perfect tomorrow. He punched his pillow into form with frustration, but as he drifted off to sleep remembering that Raven must have been watching him without knowing it when he threw the locket away that morning, a smile shaped itself on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Chapter five should be up sometime between tomorrow night and early the following day. A forewarning, there will be *slight* smut and sexual references. Also some pretty offensive phrases by someone. Hope you readers are well.


	5. Rose Wilson and the Plan for Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This note is regarding last chapter: Batman and Cassandra Cain will not be mainstay characters in this story. More like guest stars for occasions. I'll only have them in every few chapters here and there. Please enjoy.

Damian awoke the next morning in cold sweat. He’d experienced an awful nightmare of hordes of flying monsters, fouler than any demon he’d ever witnessed, all equally as strong as Superman. A coldness ran through his core as he thought what a truth of that would mean for humanity.

No, he thought… no, the Justice League and the Teen Titans would stand tall and resolve that. Anything and everything born had a weakness. If the likes of his father, Nightwing, he, and Starfire were calling the shots of even _that_ battle, they’d find a way.

He shifted out of bed and begun the day, leaving all thought of it behind.

Cold wind sharply blew against the window frames, creating a slight chill in the stale air of his room. Damian loved it. Recalling the early morning sparring he would do at dawn at Nanda Parbat, he thought fleetingly of donning his Robin attire, but knew he’d have no time for that today, so he opted for the charcoal hoodie and a pair of jeans instead. For a small moment, he reflected on the Titan’s Christmas morning feast of the previous year.

Nightwing had been the first one awake after Damian, only coming down when he’d started his second cup of tea.

“Does Damian _Al Ghul_ indulge in pleasantries like honey’d tea?” asked Nightwing mockingly.

“Yes,” replied Damian scathingly. “And he faced no impediment of having the foremost tea on the planet.”

“Something that shouldn’t be a problem anymore after what we witnessed yesterday morning,” said Nightwing. Damian didn’t answer, thinking of how Raven had informed him they all left it untouched. He had meant for them to each grab a stone or relic. Grayson and Koriand’r would have been able to buy a marital home with the stone he had tossed her, the fools…

“When are today’s operations commencing?” asked Damian. “Who is going to be monitoring the situation?”

“Kori and myself,” said Nightwing. “Though since you’re probably going to put us to sleep, we’ll rotate. I really only want to be there for the good stuff, like when you and Rose-“

“Enough!” said Damian with a contemptuous glare. Nightwing chuckled as the wide panel doors of the kitchen area slide open. Starfire and Raven came in.

“Are you prepared?” asked Starfire. Damian nodded as he and Raven glanced at each other. “Then the sooner we get underway, the better. Let’s try out the lenses and make sure the connection is secure before the car gets here.”

~

A half hour later the four of them were in the computer room as Damian placed a lens in each eye and blinked rapidly.

“Initiating the connection,” said Nightwing. On all of the monitors were displayed images of what Batman had shown them. The estate, the trio, and then Rose herself.

Nightwing pressed a small series of buttons and on the main monitor screen an image of Raven and Kori popped up, what Damian was currently seeing.

“Connection good,” confirmed Nightwing unnecessarily. “Bruce told us you’ll also be able to hear us while the connection is on.”

“And while you’re able to hear you, you shouldn’t attempt to speak to us directly at any time,” added Kori. “Assume you’ll be under a microphone and spotlight at all times.”

“Very well,” said Damian. “It seems I’m ready.”

“And if this _Rose Wilson_ attempts an attack on Damian?” asked Raven. Her arms were folded as she leaned against the wall. “One of us should be near in case things don’t go as planned and a fight breaks out.” But Nightwing was already shaking his head.

“We can’t risk that,” he said. “She’s played a very coy game. We need to assume the area surrounding the estate is also bugged. There can be no potential giveaways.”

Raven didn’t look like she agreed with that, but relented. Some of the others could be heard coming down the hallway.

“Why are you guys always up this early?” asked Conner coming through the doorway. Jaime, Garfield, and Wallace weren’t too far behind.

“Someone has to play grown-up,” said Raven wryly. Conner rolled his eyes.

Wallace smacked his lips, looking at the image of Rose Wilson. “Man, you get to have all the luck…”

“The car will be here in a couple of hours,” said Damian. “I’m going to further prepare myself.” He shared a last nod with Nightwing before he turned on his heels, feeling very aware of Raven’s eyes on him again. As he got to the doorway, however, he came level with Jaime, who stopped him.

“Damian,” he said. His arms were folded. He and Damian were looking down at the ground and away from each other, each only having the other in their peripheral vision.

“Thank you.”

Damian nodded his head a few times, unsure for once of what really to say. So he’d learned of how the dividends would be split after everything sold at the Wayne Auction House. He didn’t know he felt. Embarrassed? Uncomfortable? He wished he could have done this anonymously.

“Of course,” he muttered, taking his leave before everyone else in the room with them could stare for too long.

~

It was a long ride to the estate and late afternoon by the time they arrived. They were going so far north they almost crossed into the next state. Damian cared nothing for the luxury of the Rolls-Royce Phantom he was chauffeured in, but knew it would be beneath the Al Ghul name to be in anything less.

He’d changed from his hoodie to a new suit, attempting to look as though he were coming to celebrate a business deal. Only his sword resting over his lap kept him from looking like an ordinary rich person now.

“We’re going to cross into the estate soon, sir,” said the driver in a thick Kasnian accent. Damian simply nodded to him once and shot Grayson a text. Moments later his brother’s voice was in his ear.

“ _Testing, testing,”_ it came annoyingly. “ _Red Leader to Red Servant. I repeat: Red Leader to Red Servant. Is this thing on?_ ”

“Shut up Grayson,” grumbled Damian. On the other end, Nightwing and Kori laughed.

They drove into a sort of vineyard that Damian recognized from the image his father had shown them. The hills and false face of what the estate was actually for went on for over half a mile. Damian observed as workers picked grapes from vines, studying them intently, believably selling the lie.

The house came into view and the Phantom rolled to a stop.

She was there already, as the driver opened Damian’s door, two armed guards standing well behind her. She was staring very expectantly, dressed in an all-black athletic jogging jacket, gloves, and trousers. Her long, straight hair, as white as the clouds, blew gently in the cold wind.

Damian stepped out of the vehicle and walked formally to her, in no great hurry or excitement. He stopped and folded his arms behind his back when he was still several feet away from her.

“Rose,” he greeted in a clipped tone, as if he had seen her just yesterday.

Her blue eyes scanned him briefly, as though making sure all of him was there.

“Damian,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”

“The obvious escaped me,” drawled Damian. He nodded behind her to the guards. “Is _that_ really necessary when meeting an old acquaintance?”

“Someone of our ranking can never be too careful,” said Rose. She eyed the driver who was currently pulling Damian’s bags out of the trunk. “You’re not traveling with guards? Peculiar…”

“As if I would bother with the hinderance,” said Damian coolly. “If _I_ am attacked, _I_ am all I need.”

These words seem to lift Rose’s face as she appraised him. They stood for a moment before she turned halfway to the sprawling house.

“Come,” she said. “Let us get… _reacquainted_.”

Damian didn’t nod, but simply followed her into the home. The interior was warm and compelling. He noted that everything from the minimalistic decoration to the flooring was similar in style to Nanda Parbat.

“Is it to your liking?” asked Rose. “I tried to tailor it after home.”

“It’s an adequate compacted counterpart to Nanda Parbat,” said Damian offhandedly, mentally thinking of how he was unaware of Rose or her father ever living at Nanda Parbat with them. “Lady Shiva told me you’re running some form of operations out of here. I’d hate to think I wasted a trip to taste some _wine_.”

Rose looked at him. “You should already know what I have under my command. No one missed Damian Al Ghul’s presence at the gala this past weekend.”

“Selling magic tricks to the highest bidder. I hope you’re more serious than that…”

Rose smiled, almost to herself, then her face became abruptly more serious. “In due time today, in due time… But Damian, where have _you_ been? You’re not running the League as you should be. You came out of nowhere, after disappearing for _six years_ after my father attacked our home.”

Damian inclined his head. “You expect me to divulge my secrets, standing here in the midst of all of yours?”

“Oh, Damian,” she breathed. Damian stood stiffer as her eyes went slowly from his head to his toe and up again. “I want you to _divulge… everything_.”

Damian pressed on past the obvious double meaning of her words. “So we each have something to share. Perhaps over the next couple of days we can… _align our interests_.”

Rose adopted a blazing look in her eyes before turning. “Come. I want you to meet the hamsters of my operations.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed in the slightest. So she was configuring something more powerful than the trio. Interesting…

They walked through the halls, past displays of ancient armor and weapons and one painting of what looked like Nanda Parbat in a sort of water style. He followed her and the two guards into a wide elevator. She inched closer to him as the doors closed and they began descending.

“They’re a dull lot,” she said to him, “interested in only their own gimmicks. And _money_. But we’ll- _I’ll_ have a formidable replacement soon. H.I.V.E only needs a little bit more time and information to get it…”

Damian said nothing. He knew it would be far too early to her to give any details on that away. They rode down in silence until the elevator doors opened again and they were met with a hallway of cement floors and white bricked walls.

“This is where the animals are kept,” said Rose. She threw a fleeting glance to Damian. “It’s where you’ll be staying too, but only temporary. Until… well, you find _something else_ to your liking.”

Damian didn’t answer again, only critically observed. Cameras were everywhere. Now that they were this far underground, he wondered whether the connection from his lenses would still reach to Titans Tower. They pushed through two large doors into a cafeteria of sorts and Rose groaned.

Chowing down loudly with a turkey leg in each hand was the behemoth Damian recognized as Mammoth. He sat at a table, taking up as much space as three men, next to a boy hardly larger than a five-year-old, who was absently taking bites from a sandwich as he fiddled with a piece of hardware.

“Savage beast,” muttered Rose. Her face lifted though when Damian glanced at her sideways, giving her a small smirk. They, guards still attached to either side of them, walked to the table as Mammoth threw a large bone over his shoulder.

“Attention,” said Rose commandingly. Gizmo and Mammoth both looked up. “We have a new… _prospective_ recruit. Mammoth, Gizmo- this is Damian Al Ghul.”

Gizmo simply nodded his eyebrows in recognition, but Mammoth waved another giant turkey leg in his direction.

“So you’re the ninja that showed up at the gala,” he said. His voice was boisterous. “We’ve heard _a lotta_ talk about you! Came in like a _shooting star_ and disappeared into the night like Batman.”

Damian didn’t know how in the world to answer that. He looked along at Rose again, who closed her eyes and hung her head, as if praying for patience.

“I’ll be staying a few days to observe your standings,” said Damian. “Rose has spoken highly of your abilities.”

Gizmo scoffed, but Mammoth pounded the table, making the little guy fall off backwards.

“I need a real challenge!” he roared. “Leave the kids at home and let me have at ‘em by myself next time!”

“The Justice League isn’t exactly hiding from anyone,” stated Damian before Rose could reply. “Wonder Woman looks like she never declines a tussle. By all means, castrate yourself.”

_“Damnit Damian,_ ” he heard in his ear, confirming the connection was still good.

Mammoth considered that for a moment, a raging look on his face. Then he abruptly laughed so loudly it shook the table.

“I always did like you _sayers_ ,” he said once he got himself under control again, wiping a tear from his eye. The cafeteria doors opened and an attendant walked swiftly to them.

“Lady Wilson,” they hushed in a low voice as if to leave the others out of the conversation, “there has been a development.”

“It can wait,” Rose said firmly. But the attendant did not leave, merely shifting from foot-to-foot.

“It is a _significant_ development, my lady,” they insisted. Rose gave them a look and the attendant nodded. Rose seemed as if she were about to follow them out, but stopped and glanced at Damian. He looked around, feigning boredom.

“I haven’t eaten yet,” said Damian airily. “I have no fuss staying here with _this_ while you attend to matters, Rose.”

Rose simply nodded, keen on his words. The development must be severe. She snapped her fingers at two other attendants in the cafeteria.

“Herbal tea,” she said. “Vegan food from my stash. _Now_.” She gazed at Damian a second more as they jumped to her whim, eyes flickering to Mammoth in embarrassment, before leaving quickly with the attendant who came.

When they were alone, Damian sat opposite of Mammoth and Gizmo, the former munching on the fifth leg since Damian walked in, the latter studiously ignoring them both.

Mammoth looked up, taking second between his bites for once and broke the silence. “So,” he said, “word around these parts is that you’re the one whose gonna be stuffing old Snow White there.”

Damian kept his composure. “Rose and I haven’t seen each other in nearly a decade. I’m merely spectating the worth of this operation.”

Mammoth laughed. “Oh, okay, I hear you. You have no idea how to talk to a girl, do you?”

Damian fought a twitch in his brow, now feeling a little irate. “If I-“

“Just let your new buddy Mammoth show you how it’s done,” he said gruffly, cutting Damian off. The lumbering behemoth twisted around until he saw one of the attendants, a pretty girl with brown hair tied back in a ponytail, walking towards them carrying Damian’s tea. He wolf whistled at her, getting her unwilling attention.

“Hey girl,” he tried for a charming smile that was simply idiotic-looking, “you know how I love my beef, and you yourself, are one _fine_ piece of meat.”

Gizmo sighed and Damian again fought the urge to physically show his weariness of them already. The attendant simply stared at him, dumb-founded. She set Damian’s tea down without a word and sped off quickly.

Mammoth winked at him. “She’s gonna be thinking about that later.” He promised.

In fright, thought Damian.

“Thank you for the education process,” he said aloud. He looked around. “I thought there were three of you?”

“There’s only one Mammoth!” Mammoth thundered. Gizmo rolled his eyes and finally looked up.

“Jinx is busy,” he explained. “She’s always busy in her room doing… something. She rarely ever just hangs out with us.”

Can’t imagine why, thought Damian. Another attendant came and set down a vegan plate that looked rather delectable.

Mammoth stared at it dubiously. “So… you’re what a vegan looks like.”

Yup. All of us.

“Me personally,” Mammoth continued, “I’m what I call a _mee-gan_.”

Damian dropped his fork and stared at Mammoth in amazement. “Oh, I get it. Because you only eat meat!”

“You got it!” roared Mammoth as he threw his head back in laughter. Damian couldn’t think of a bigger waste of time. He turned his gaze to what Gizmo and studied for the first time what he was working on.

“Are you working on a generator for controlled plasma?” he asked, genuinely interested. Gizmo looked up and met his gaze.

“You know about this?” he asked, staring at Damian with disbelief.

Damian nodded. “The League of Assassins only handles in swords. Worthy opponents deserve death with honor by the blade. But it would be arrogant to not know of potential advanced weapons. We study several weaponized lasers. I hadn’t thought anyone was close to creating a plasma cannon.”

Gizmo leaned forward. “They’re not, but _I’m_ going to be the first one. I’ll make a killing and pass Luthor Corp as the biggest name in weapon sales!”

Damian gazed at Gizmo, feigning respect. “If this all goes well, perhaps you’ll have a backer in me. I admit, I’m already more impressed than what I thought I’d be.”

“Ya see,” said Mammoth. “This guy’s not so bad. I ain’t gonna lie bub, we weren’t really lookin’ forward to meetin’ ya. Rose came down here last night talking about how everything was going better than even according to her plan and an Al Ghul was on his way. I didn’t care and neither did Gizzy or Jinx. But you’re better than I expected.”

“Appreciated,” said Damian as Mammoth started on yet another tremendous turkey leg.

“ _You’re playing good,_ ” came Nightwing’s voice. _“But be more on guard with Rose. She watches way more critically than these two.”_

Damian agreed, but of course didn’t say anything. He finished his meal talking between Gizmo and Mammoth about nothing really important. Gizmo wanted to develop a satellite for war. Mammoth just wanted to fight something after he’d eaten.

The same attendant who’d brought Damian his tea walked up again with her head bowed and informed Damian that Rose would be unable to meet him until later that evening. She offered to show him where he was staying, but Mammoth waved her off.

“Get outta here, we’ll take him,” he said and she disappeared rather quickly. Damian couldn’t blame her thinking of Mammoth’s earlier comment. They got up and Mammoth showed him the way to the rooms, the white-bricked walls and security cameras making the hallways feel like a prison.

“It’s right down there,” he said, pointing down a hall with only two doors on the left hand side. “Me and Gizzy are down the other way. You’re the second door. The first one there goes into Jinx’s room. And hey- don’t bother her. Not unless you want your head chopped off. There’s a water fountain there across from the rooms in case you get thirsty.”

“Dually noted,” said Damian. Though he knew he should’ve found some way to both her to press her for information, he was eager for some alone time. Not training and keeping up the rigid charade of his past made him feel antsy. Talking with Mammoth for as long as he had made him feel as though his brain cells were dying. And the cameras scattered throughout the halls made him feel as though Rose was constantly surveying him.

He was ambling down the hallway to what would be his room for the coming days when he heard a noise. Raised voices without words similar to two people dueling.

He grimaced when he heard it clearly enough. Two people groaning and moaning from behind the first door, a male voice louder than the female’s. Damian heard Nightwing’s laugh on the other end of the connection.

Fantastic, he thought warily. He caught a rather colorful demand in the female’s voice before making his way to his own door and opening it, heaving a great sigh when he found he could hear them even more clearly once he entered.

Bricked hallways, but thin walls between the rooms. What a place to save money, Rose, he thought.

He looked about the room. There was nothing much to it, though he supposed, like the Titans Tower, each inhabitant personalized their own quarters. For him, there was only a bed, a door that led to a bathroom, and an old television within the painted grey walls. And the pornographic entertainment of his noisy neighbor.

Damian tried to relax on his uncomfortable bed as he listened to the couple. The male was obviously struggling to keep up with the insatiable female. He heard the inconsistent claps of flesh and demands he’d rather have not have. He pictured in his mind’s eye for a moment Raven, but hastily scrambled the thought. Damian really needed something to do. He hadn’t thought he would have ample free time like this as if he were in someone’s waiting room.

Half an hour passed and the female was now being grouchy at the man for not being able to continue. Damian had had enough. He walked out of the room and leaned down at the water fountain, more for just something distracting to do. That’s when he heard the door open and he saw a blonde guy a few years older than he, shirtless and tired, being forced out of his neighbor’s room.

“Can’t we just-“ he was pleading without any real hope in his voice.

“No!” The voice Damian was now unwillingly familiar with said sharply, and the door slammed on the dude’s face.

He grunted, clearly agitated. There was an awkward moment when he spun around and realized Damian was standing there.

“Women,” he tried, as if that were an explanation, “they just don’t know what they want.” When Damian said nothing to the sad man, he mumbled a “whatever” and took his leave, making the walk of shame with his head down. Damian sincerely hoped they never saw each other ever again.

He leaned down for a drink when the door behind him opened again.

“Excuse me?” came that voice. “Who the fuck are you?”

And now there’s this, thought Damian. He straightened again and turned towards the bedroom doors. Jinx was leaning against her own doorframe, staring at Damian like he was crazy, though this quickly shifted to an expression more like surprise. Her magenta pink hair and eyes were even more vivid in person, the hair cascading past her shoulders and wildly covering a fraction of her face so that one eye was hiding. Her pale complexion reminded him greatly of Raven’s, but there was something less… angelic about Jinx’s. It was more ashy. Though he tried not to observe as she only wore a pair of black fleece shorts and a lacey bra that was _very_ see-through, revealing the entirety of her slim, pixie-like figure.

“Oh,” she said in an entirely different tone. She took him in. “You’re him? The Al Ghul boy?”

Damian tilted his head her way, but looked down the hallway as if they were something more interesting to witness, very aware of who could possibly be watching this scene through his eyes right now.

“It didn’t sound like a good time to stop and introduce myself,” he said tonelessly. Pink rose to her pale cheeks.

“Oh, that- that was nothing, except for a disappointment maybe,” she said. “I’m Jinx, by the way.”

“Damian Al Ghul,” said Damian. Wanting this awkward talk to be over with, as she had no shame in not covering herself, he started for the door.

“So how long are you staying?” she asked before he got there.

“Depends how long I’m interested,” said Damian, not looking at her. “So far these operations have boasted no real meaning that I’ve seen.”

Jinx was biting her lip, though he didn’t see. “Well, if you’re staying for a few days at least and need to pass the time by-“

“Lord Damian,” came a voice unexpectedly. He and Jinx both looked to an attendant that had suddenly appeared from around the corner. “Lady Wilson would like to see you before you retire for the night.”

“ _Of fucking course_ ,” muttered Jinx under her breath. Damian strode past her without a glance and she vanished behind her bedroom door, shutting it with a sharp snap.

He and the attendant walked wordlessly through the facility, up the elevator to the estate. An Al Ghul would not try to pry information out of _the_ _help_. He kept his hands folded behind his back and his eyes away from her until they came to a large atrium nestled in the middle of the home with a wonderful view of the evening sky above.

“She will be along in a minute my lord,” said the attendant. She took her leave.

“ _We’re learning a lot more than what we thought,”_ came Nightwing’s voice again. Damian fought the powerful urge of rolling his eyes at seemingly nothing. “ _What do you think the odds are Rose walks up the same way?”_

Damian prayed Raven wasn’t right there.

There was the slightest shift from around him. The tiniest noise unnaturally made.

“I know you’re there,” said Damian confidently.

Rose Wilson stepped out of a long shadow cast by the light of the evening sun.

“Impressive,” she said. “I often managed to sneak up on my father when I was younger.”

“An exemplary reason why he is not currently an Al Ghul,” said Damian. Rose simply smirked.

“I am surprised you did not offer me condolences,” she said. “Surely you’ve heard of his fate?”

“He was biting off more than he could ever chew,” Damian said, not compassionately. “He walked the plank to his early end blind, deaf, and dumb. Surely you’re not making the same mistake with these mutton heads?”

Rose laughed, and there was an excited light in her eyes. “No, I’ve told you they’re a means to an end.”

“Tell me,” said Damian, and he tried to give her a look as though he was letting his walls down, his voice a shade softer. “Just tell me what you’ve got going on Rose. Why am I here?”

Rose studied him for a long moment, those shinning blue eyes tracing his face over and over scrupulously. She stepped closer.

“Your grandfather was stuck in the past,” she said, speaking quickly. “He wasn’t to speed with today’s age. He thought of a normal world, without _supermen_ and _demigods_. The League of Assassins will never take this world as is-“

“But with a line of powerhouses in similar fashion trained by the League,” said Damian, continuing her thought, “the dream could be a vision again… How? Who on the planet could we find to challenge the likes of Superman?”

Rose looked thrilled that he already was thinking of _we_ , grouping them together. “The U.S Government provides,” she said. “The first powerful piece anyway. A U.S Air Force officer has willingly subjected to experiments by the government in hopes of adding security to the planet. But the military is intending to wipe his mind and make him a force against the Justice League itself.”

“He would need more power than a nuclear bomb,” commented Damian. Now they were getting somewhere.

“The U.S has named it _Project: Captain Atom_. We only needed money from events like the gala to help persuade secrets to be given out. I now no longer have any desire to fulfill whatever his request for the team may be. Tonight we discovered the location of where the soldier’s body is kept in comatose as they prepare to wipe his mind.”

“And once they’ve done that,” continued Damian for her, “The League can subjugate him. That’s why you tried to act jointly with Lady Shiva… you needed their training implemented.”

“Yes,” confirmed Rose hastily. She studied Damian’s face as he looked back into hers.

“We will need more than one,” said Damian slowly. “A single entity cannot beat the Justice League, and they add members constantly. We will need several to challenge them.”

“But it’s a _start,_ ” Rose emphasized. She was very close to him now. “It’s a real start to something my father and grandfather couldn’t accomplish in over five hundred years. We will _break_ this world,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath warm on his face, “and build a better one.”

“There will be no time for distractions,” said Damian firmly, to pull her out of the mood she was heading in. “No time for pleasantries. We will take this… Captain Atom to Nanda Parbat.”

Rose studied his eyes intently again. “His body arrives at a facility not far south of Jump City the morning after next. We strike then.” And before Damian could help it, she placed a burning kiss on the corner of his lips and strode off, the doom of the world on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping chapter six will be out tomorrow evening, but no promises. I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading.


	6. A Hand One Is Dealt

Damian had no idea what time it was when he came out of sleep.

He laid in bed thoughtfully for a while, despising the restraint he felt to not do anything, showered, and sat on the edge of his mattress trying to ease his restless mind. He was wondering idly when things got a move on around here when he heard a voice in his ear.

_“You should probably get dressed.”_

Shit.

“Raven,” Damian mumbled under his breath. He didn’t know how well the cameras outside of his door were equipped with audio sensors.

_“Dick and Kori aren’t here yet. They went back to their place last night after you’d gone back to your room. I figured someone should go ahead and start monitoring.”_

Damian’s teeth clenched and he stared hard at the ground.

“Did they… fill you in on everything that happened?” he asked, keeping his voice low. In the two seconds before she answered, he envisioned the last few days with her. Her saving his mother’s locket. Adoring the painting. Simply smiling.

_“Most of us were in here watching,”_ she told him. _“We saw your exchange with Rose. And with Jinx beforehand.”_

It took all of Damian’s willpower not to close his eyes slowly, to not physically show the deflation he felt inside.

“It was unavoidable,” he said, his tone hoarser. But he would not refute it if she were angry with him. It would be within her right, he felt, though they had made no claim at all. It would be fair for her to feel that way.

But Raven was no such child.

_“I know,”_ she replied. _“There wasn’t anything you could have done.”_

Damian said nothing, but he felt grateful for her. He rose to his feet, clenching the towel around his waist. “Cut the feed for a few minutes. I’m going to get dressed.”

She took a moment to answer. _“O-“_

There was a knock at his door.

Damian threw his sharp eyes to it, feeling much more alert. The feeling of tension dissolved into weariness when he opened it and saw Jinx, already fully dressed in her purple and black getup, looking at him in surprise before smirking crookedly.

“Looks like I came at the right time,” she said. Her unabashed eyes slid from his chest to his lower abdomen where they stayed glue. Damian grimaced.

“What do you want?” he asked crossly. Jinx skimmed her eyes upwards and done again, taking her time before she answered.

“Rose wants you to join us for our early morning training,” she said. “But it won’t be for another hour. She just wanted me to check that you were up already, since you haven’t come out of your hole at all.”

“It’s fine,” said Damian. “I’ll be there.” He was going to make to close the door, but Jinx suddenly placed her hand on it, gliding it upwards. She tilted her head sideways as she stared at him.

“What are you doing?” asked Damian through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.

“Daddy,” she said, leaning her face up towards his now, “whatever the hell you tell me to.”

“Good,” said Damian, putting a hand on her shoulder and firmly pushing her down again. “ _Leave_.”

“You can only play hard-to-get for so long,” Jinx told him, completely undeterred. “You know Princess Tight-Ass can’t do half the things I can.”

Damian glared at her. “What you’re capable of behind closed doors is not and will never be my concern. There’s someone. Your advances are unwarranted. Now _back off_ so I may finish getting ready.”

Jinx didn’t look she believed him at all. She arched an eyebrow with a knowing smirk, probably trying to relay some message that Damian didn’t care to convert, before slowly pushing off of his door to make her way back to her room.

When the doors closed, Damian stared it for a few seconds, his mind racing on what was going on at the other end.

_“We can cut the connection off for five minutes?”_ Nightwing’s voice suggested.

Damian groaned. Through a few more digs back and forth, however, he did happen to tell Nightwing to cut it for five minutes so that he could finish getting ready.

He had at first pulled out his midnight hoodie, thinking casual would be fine now that he was in good spirits with Rose Wilson. But beneath that, gold inlaid armor glittered at him. Something about it seemed right for the moment. This is who she expects him to be.

_“Oh”_ was all he heard as he fitted his bracers on, the last bit of his Demon’s Head armor. The red cape flowed down his back. It was the first time he donned it since he was ten years old. For a moment, it felt like he was standing next to his grandfather just yesterday.

He ignored the nostalgia and left any thought of it in the room.

Mammoth, Jinx, Gizmo, Rose, and several armed guards were in the cafeteria. The lights were dimmed and a projector displayed an image of a military facility.

“We’ve learned this morning the facility has technological eyes and ears within twenty miles and artillery heavy enough to drop titanium tanks. So now hitting the convoy is our best shot at keeping this quiet.”

Mammoth groaned loudly. “Ah, come on! Can’t we make a little noise and invite the Titan dweebs? I want some _fun!_ ”

“We cannot ring the bell when there is a chance more than the Titans will come,” said Rose. “We can’t risk those odds. Not when we’re so close to creating our army. Patience, Mammoth- you will get yours.”

Mammoth rolled his eyes and stared indifferently around the room. That’s when Rose noticed Damian in the pale light of the feed. Damian couldn’t quite read her stare, her being more in the dark of the projection’s light, but it was most definitely different from Mammoth’s current state.

“Twenty-three hours,” was all she said, not removing her gaze from Damian. The projection cut off and the lights came on. “Mammoth, Gizmo, Jinx- ready yourselves. We’re running through a simulation in ten.”

They stood up, unenthusiastic but ready. Jinx caught site of what Rose was staring at first. Her lower jaw dropped as Mammoth and Gizmo each noticed him as well.

“Nice!” grinned Mammoth. “The ninja man is running point with us?”

“Nice look,” commented Jinx, almost to herself.

“Damian won’t be undergoing the simulation,” said Rose. “He’ll be with me tomorrow morning during the mission.”

Jinx looked miffed “Which _is_?”

“We’ll be only just behind,” said Rose evenly. “As you and your band here display your vigorous talents which you _get paid to do_ -“

“Ugh,” groaned Mammoth again. “Killing more soldiers. Woopty-do.”

“You don’t always have to squash them, meat head!” said Jinx impatiently. Damian looked at her in surprise.

“What do you care?” asked Gizmo without any real interest. He was playing with another gadget again. “We get paid either way.”

Rose looked as if she couldn’t handle the embarrassment of these three opening their mouths. She let her aggravated expression go with a long sigh.

“Just get going,” she said as if she had no more energy for today. The trio walked away to what Damian assumed was their simulation room, Jinx throwing a look back at him. Rose waited until they were out of sight and approached him. She was almost glowing.

“I had not thought you’d still have the honorable armor,” she said, her blue eyes scanning him.

Damian stood straighter, keeping his arms behind his back. “Lady Shiva’s way of enticing me to rejoin.”

She smiled. “I recall how bitter my father would be when all he could do was imagine himself in it. The night he came home saying all was ruined because you were chosen…”

“And?” inquired Damian. “How did you cope with the man’s imagined slight?”

Rose grazed her fingers over Damian’s chest plate. “My father was a petty bastard,” she said, still gazing longingly at the armor, “I learned that not long after he abandoned me, he’d taken up another protégé. Some misfit child with powers to move the Earth itself. I thought it was just for compensating for his own lack of power and strength to take what he thought was his, but the rumors at the end were they were attempting to form their own League of Assassins as _lovers_!” Her face was now revolted, something Damian easily mirrored. He still remembered Slade grooming the girl along as he stuck to the wall by her doing. She’d been saved and had known nothing but monstruous cruelty outside of his affection, which Damian assumed was all probably a lie. Terra had not known any better…

How could he ever have held that against her, remembering his own mother? Her final actions to him. How was Garfield right now? Was he watching?

“You look more troubled than I,” commented Rose. Her fingers were now brushing his cheek.

“If your father’s soul is only burning, it is too good for him,” said Damian. “In the end, he turned out to be nothing more than someone the League would have hunted and destroyed.”

Rose considered his words, and nodded. She was bringing her face minutely closer to his.

“And under us, he- and all others like him- will suffer the consequences of their misdeeds. We were _born_ better. It’s in our blood. We _have_ to make the simpleton’s decisions for them.” she said.

Damian gave her a nod in agreement. He thought she was going to pull herself in for a kiss, but she relented her hand on him and took a half step back.

“Let us rejoin the monkeys,” said Rose. “We will use them as stepping stones.” Damian raised his hand to her slowly. She still, watching it carefully, as he gently brushed her face in turn with the top side of his long fingers, his eyes not leaving hers, an absolute shinning look directed at him.

“We begin the world anew _now_ ,” said Damian, returning his hand behind his back.

_“Blink once if you’re still on our side and not actually in love with her.”_

Damian needed all the discipline he had not to smile at Jamie’s joke. He did blink once for them out of sheer amusement however as they came into a sort of domed area. Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo were attacking a line of simulated soldiers, not made unlike the ones at Titans Tower.

Throughout the course of a two hour training period, Damian estimated strengths and weaknesses easily. Mammoth was very powerful… he felt Conner or Donna could take him. Jinx was incredibly gifted and not nearly as callous, striking only when necessary, Damian curiously observed, but she could be beaten by Starfire. Gizmo’s antics would certainly be crushed by Jaime and the Scarab. Damian again fought the urge to smile as he realized Rose had kept a low profile out of fear of the Titan’s strength more than anything. This team could not come close to beating his own. They had trained for a superior version of them when Nightwing and Starfire assembled three-vs-three training days ago. Damian was idly thinking that Raven could scrape the trio herself when Rose spoke to him.

“I know they aren’t the most impressive force in the world,” she said in a low voice, “but think of where we’re headed by their means.” She leaned in to him, their sides touching. Jinx looked over in the midst of their battle and pursed her lips.

The afternoon came and went with more routine training on their part. It was late in the evening and Damian was feeling more cooped up now than ever. He skipped a dinner, choosing only herbal tea and tried meditating alone as Raven had shown him when Jinx sat opposite of him with her tray.

“You’re avoiding us,” she said, eyeing his tea with those unrepeatably vivid pink eyes.

“For good reason,” said Damian. He was in no mood to be polite. He had his positioning with Rose where he wanted. He knew their plans, and so did the Titans. There was no reason to sucker up to any of the trio.

“ _My most quiet need, by sun and by candle-light,_ ” recited Jinx under her breath, drinking from her cup.

“What the hell are y-“ Damian stopped and frowned at what she had said. “You’ve read Elizabeth Browning?”

Jinx stared at him in shock. “ _You’ve_ read Elizabeth Browning?”

Damian’s mouth twisted down deeper. _How Do I Love Thee_ had been an old favorite of his.

“The Al Ghuls were taught in all manner of literature,” Damian lied easily. Jinx arched her brow again.

“Well aren’t you just full of surprises,” she said. Damian was only under her uncomfortable gaze for a moment before a new voice called out, making them both look up.

“Jinx! Baby!”

The blonde dude that Damian had never hoped to see again had returned. Worse still, he was carrying a rose and a heart-shaped box that were surely cheap chocolates. He looked disbelieving between Damian and Jinx before seemingly steeling his resolve and pressing forward. Jinx shot up from the table, mimicking his prior look of disbelief.

“Please baby, I don’t want things to end between us.”

“Jericho,” snarled Jinx. “Leave it! You’re embarrassing yourself, and worst of all, me.”

“We were good together,” said this Jericho desperately.

“It was a one-time thing, Jericho!” snapped Jinx angrily. “Get out of here now!”

“But we’ve been seeing each other for _weeks?!_ ”

“Stop lying on me!” Jinx all but screeched. “Now get out of here before I _blast you out!_ ”

Heart and soul now properly deflated, Jericho dropped the substandard romantic gifts and walked away, head hung lower than before.

Jinx glanced timidly at Damian as he got up from the table.

“The afternoon show is appreciated,” he said blandly. “But recess is over and now the adults must talk.” He strode away from her without another word or backwards look.

Damian had seemingly retrieved all the information intended within twenty-four hours. He had not imagined the mission would be even close to this easy. There was no need to prepare any further, or to pry and possibly cause suspicion.

He would make the play for more trust.

Ignoring a loud remark from Mammoth and not bothering to answer attendants asking him if he needed anything, Damian used the elevator freely to go up to the estate.

There was a guilty conscience wearing down on him. But now was not the time worry about that. Now was the time to ensure the mission was a success.

He came to the atrium again and stared up at a pink sky that was being propelled away by darkness. It used to be his fondest time of the day. But now so was it’s fraternal twin, when the sky changed in the form of light overcoming the night, that he preferred.

He supposed there may have been something to that to his overall character.

“Is this you seeking me out?”

Rose’s voice was one that was almost hopeful. Damian gazed skyward for a moment more before bringing his eyes back down and carefully controlling the reaction of what he saw.

Rose trotted into the atrium barefoot, carrying a glass of red wine leisurely and wearing an open violet kimono robe with her breasts exposing themselves. Her shinning white hair was tied up and the only other coverage she had was a pair of lacey black panties.

“You know just when to do it,” she said, drinking deeply. Damian kept centered. He walked into this. He couldn’t afford to look away, not when, in her mind, they were already so committed.

“I’m surprised,” he said. “Tomorrow morning we launch the most ambitious ploy that H.I.V.E has undertaken and you ready yourself to be slow when dawn arrives?”

“Do you ever just think with your cock?” asked Rose intently. She took another deep swig, never wavering her blue eyes from him. He allowed himself to gaze at her figure openly, mentally praying for forgiveness from the other end. (A thought went through his mind: how would Kori react to Grayson watching this?)

“Often,” he relented. “But now is not the time for anything but focus.” He added as Rose began striding towards him. She took another large swig, and Damian noticed an attendant standing not far behind her holding a large 1.5 liter wine bottle, ready to refill whenever Rose was in need.

“I did it on purpose you know,” she said in an odd undertone. She was close enough to him now where Damian could smell the alcohol on her breath, a scent he abhorred loathed. “I was going to let you have your fun.”

“To what are you referring?”

Annoyance flashed in her eyes like it was obvious.

“ _Jinx_ ,” she said with a bite of impatience. “I placed you next to her room so you could have some fun. Get it out of your system. I had… worried you wouldn’t be so taken with me at first, after what my father did to _our_ family.”

“If I had thought you and your father were the same person, I would not be here,” said Damian. “And I have no interest in Jinx whatsoever.”

“Oh, I know,” she told him, taking yet another swig, “I watched the exchange between you two this morning on the feed not an hour ago. I knew that cum dumpster wouldn’t be able to contain herself when she saw you. But you… you _told her_ there was _someone._ ” She now brought herself so close to Damian that her nose almost touched his cheek as she watched his with half-lidded, drunken eyes.

“Tell me who the someone is,” she whispered. Her hand not holding the wine came up and groped her own breast. “Tell me what I need to hear.”

“If you were of a clear mind, the answer would be obvious to you Rose.” Damian said evenly, trying to create a sturdy line where he would not react but not offend her at the same time. He gazed into her face, keeping away from locking with her eyes.

Rose came even closer. Her lips grazed his chin.

“Have a drink with me,” she pleaded.

“No,” said Damian. “Not tonight. The work needs to be done.”

“Have a drink with me,” she tried again. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and lifted her leg invitingly around him.

“When the mission is done, we will fly to Nanda Parbat,” said Damian. He maneuvered his face so that his lips were against her ear. “Do not prepare to rest.”

That caught her attention. She looked at him with a sort of gratifying surprise before draining the rest of her wine. The attendant, the same brown-haired girl who had served Damian’s tea, came forward, but Rose waved her off.

“Tomorrow we raise a kingdom,” she said, walking away.

“Tomorrow we raise a new world,” Damian corrected her. She turned back around and gave him a wicked smile before shrugging out of her kimono and letting it drop to the floor, exposing all the nakedness of her body except for the most treasured areas. Damian caught an eyeful of her shapely buttocks displayed by the lacey thong as she walked away.

He walked back to the elevator feeling more aggravated for the needless problems he perhaps just caused for himself. He thought only of Raven as he rode the elevator down. How would she feel? That she had saved his mother’s locket for an action like this to return to her? He didn’t know… and perhaps he was reading too much into that particular deed. She was his closest friend, save Grayson. Would that not be something a best friend would do? There was nothing phased in her voice when they spoke this morning, despite Rose and Jinx’s floundering attempts the night before. Were the feelings in his heart unreturned?

_“We’re all in place for tomorrow morning Damian.”_ came Kori’s voice. _“You’ve done extremely well.”_

Damian acknowledged nothing. He now couldn’t wait for this to be over with. He longed to be back at the tower.

_Home._ That’s where his heart was. Thousands of miles away from Nanda Parbat. Just over a hundred from here.

He felt heavy as he trodden down the hallway, ready for the last night of sleep he’d get here, when he abruptly stopped short of his door.

It was cracked open.

Damian grit his teeth. Someone had come through there. Had Rose sent someone to ransack his possessions to look for anything that would expose him? He furrowed his brow and focused, braced for a fight on the other side.

He opened his door calmly, narrowed eyes observing every minute detail- and groaned.

“You’re finally back,” swooned Jinx from his bed. “I was going to start without you.”

Damian’s jaw worked furiously with the impatience of this. Her black-and-purple attire were scattered on the floor along with her scarlet string-like underwear. She was laid in his covers, her shoulders and a slender arm exposed as she waited for him, obviously naked.

“Get out Jinx,” said Damian in aggravation. “I’m tired. I want to go to bed.”

“Believe me,” she said seductively. “I’m not stopping you.” She pulled the covers down enough to expose her pale breasts.

Damian looked away. “I’m not going to say it again. Get _out._ ”

“Do you want to move this to my bed? It is softer.”

“I want to move _you_ to your bed.”

“Will you at least _look_ at me?”

He ignored the change in her tone. “I have no earthly desire to do that at all. Spiritual neither, in fact.” He heard her rise quickly from his bed, but still didn’t look up.

“What is it with you?!”

“Something you’re never going to need to concern yourself with,” Damian told her firmly. “Now go back to your hole.”

“Now you’re just being a dick!”

“One you’re never going to have.” He replied smoothly.

“Do you think I wanted this!”

And now the tone was so severely changed from what it had been when Damian walked in, he couldn’t ignore it. He glanced at Jinx. She was hugging his bedsheets tightly around her frame, keeping her decent, and the look on her face had drastically changed to something between furious and… hurt?

“Do you think I wanted this?” she repeated flatly. “To be a-a pink haired, pale skinned freak?” Her expression was bitter, and her eyes were shinning threateningly like shallow pools. Damian faltered as he realized the emotion he was seeing.

Insecurity….

“But I am _not_ ugly,” she finished defensively, hugging her frame tighter. She swallowed hard.

Damian studied her for a moment and then heaved a great sigh.

“No, you’re not,” he told her. And she wasn’t. “You're worth looking at. But when I told you there was somebody, I wasn’t lying.” He knelt down and grabbed her clothes and held them out to her. She reached out for them shakily and took them.

“You should have a little more respect for yourself,” said Damian, “ _and_ others. When I didn’t accept your advances this morning, _this_ is the last thing you should have done.” He thought he caught a “sorry” under her voice as she dropped his bedsheet and began to dress.

“It was interesting to learn you read poetry,” Damian said, more for just something to fill the silence. Jinx made a reply under her breath that he didn’t catch. When she was fully dressed again, he looked at her. He couldn’t read her expression precisely, but her eyes were still shinning.

“You’re better to have around than the others,” Damian told her, and her expression lifted. “Now please, dry your eyes. And call it a night.” She nodded to him and averted her gaze as she left the room, but turned halfway when she was at his door.

“Were you tempted at all?” she asked hesitantly. Damian surveyed her a moment before giving a small smile.

“You have eyes and a figure that could steal a sailor from the sea,” he told her. She gave him a soft smile in return and made her leave. Damian heard her own door close.

“But no, I wasn’t,” he muttered under his breath. Peeling off his armor in weary drowsiness and fixing his bedsheets before lying down, he wondered how he would now solve this subsidiary problem of someone who deserved better than what they got.


	7. You Are A Titan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just under two weeks ago, I recovered from covid and sat down, beginning this story with no idea at all what to do. Now we're a third of a small novel of the way in. Thank you for reading.

_“Release me, wretched bird! All you hold dear will come to an end, ungrateful swine! Release me now… or I will kill the boy.”_

Raven woke up clasping her head for the second time that night and breathing hard. The sacred shard she’d set on her forehead containing Trigon was brightened and ringing with her father’s curses.

He’d known for well over a year. But now she was losing too much concentration because of recent events, giving him a pass at times to be heard. She hadn’t been able to stop herself from recoiling last night in front of the team.

Raven checked the clock on her nightstand. Two-fifteen in the morning. The Titans would be waking up at the top of the hour for preparation to cut off Rose Wilson’s attempted assault on the convoy at dawn.

She moved from the bed trying to soothe the sting still issuing from her father’s prison. Thinking of last night, she frowned.

They would know now, she was sure. They would know of her feelings. For him. She didn’t know how she felt about that. Surely Dick and Kori would understand Raven’s disposition, she was able to control any emotion she felt while on a mission alongside Damian. What they did, the stakes every time they went out, came first. But what would the others think? She had fled too quick from the comms room after it had happened, grasping her forehead too much to have seen what their reaction was.

Raven readied herself and began to make her way down to the comms room, where they would all meet. She entered it and observed clearly the damage she had caused.

The entirety of the right hand side was smashed and broken. Every monitor right of the main screen was shattered and wires were sticking out in odd places. The destruction, a result of a momentary lapse in control by Raven. A flicker of power that she was grateful had left her teammates unharmed.

She thought of that _girl_ wrapping herself around Damian like a poisonous, albino python. Anger rushed through her again, tightening her eyes.

“Musty bitch,” she muttered to herself.

“Huh?!”

Raven started and turned around. She hadn’t heard nor felt Kori approach, who was standing in the doorway with her mouth open looking flabbergasted and hurt.

“Not you, Kori,” amended Raven. “I was thinking of something…”

Kori eased up and studied her, making Raven drop her gaze. She was no doubt thinking of last night.

“You left in a hurry last night,” started Kori, confirming Raven’s suspicion.

“I’m sorry for that,” said Raven, still staring at the ground.

“Jaime and Garfield wanted to check on you, but Dick and I thought you needed your space,” she continued. Raven nodded as Kori slowly came in.

“Raven,” she said softly, “if it’s… something you wish to speak about-“

“There’s nothing to talk about, Kori,” said Raven grimly. “It is what it is. I… can’t help it.”

Starfire only looked more worried now than ever. “It’s not something you _need_ to help, Raven! There’s nothing wrong with it. Attraction is natural, even if it is to another girl.”

Raven froze.

They… they thought Raven lost her cool not _when_ Rose Wilson became naked on screen, but _because_ Rose Wilson got naked.

She deliberated about just letting them accept that for now.

“But if it’s something you wish to put aside for another day, then I’ll let it be,” said Kori kindly. “Unfortunately, however, we had to let Batman know.”

Raven started again, looking at her friend. “Huh?”

“About how your father’s shard acted up,” explained Kori, her eyebrows knitting. “The Justice League has to be aware of such a potential enemy. You haven’t said anything about it bothering you lately…”

“I’m strong enough to hold him,” said Raven.

“I believe you,” said Kori firmly. “Just let Batman make sure of it. He was joining us with his underling anyways.”

Raven conceded, but reluctantly. Nightwing wandered in happily.

“Whoa, Raven,” he said, looking alert. “Will you please stop staring at my fiancé that way?”

Raven sighed wearily as Starfire chided her fiancé loudly. Perhaps telling them was the better course of action…

“Okay, okay,” Nightwing repented. “But we’re going to move the team briefing to the common area since the monitors in here that _are_ working are still fuzzy anyways. Batman and Batgirl just landed. The team should be down in a few.”

The girls nodded and followed him to the common area. Starfire and Nightwing chatted about departure time and why Batman had come. After Nightwing had let him know about the government’s attempt at creating a mindless super soldier powerful enough to challenge Superman, he thought allowing the attack on the convoy was perhaps necessary to a point to relinquish their control of a soul.

Batman and his new protégé, Cassandra, were already there. They each looked as if they had been up for hours, no paleness or drowsiness about them at all. Batman was observing Raven intently, but when she met his gaze, he simply nodded and looked to Nightwing.

“Your team was larger than this last time, I recall,” he commented.

“It’s half past three in the morning, Bats,” said Nightwing. “And here they come now.”

They trotted in slowly, most blinking wearily, Cassie, Wallace, and Garfield with their eyes closed altogether. They mainly jolted awake when they caught sight of Batman. Nightwing and Kori went closer to address them, but Raven stayed put. Already they were casting her worried glances and she wanted to be out of the limelight for a few more moments.

“We’re leaving at five stat,” said Kori. “The plan is still the same: Conner, Donna, Cassie, Raven, and myself- we will attack first, dropping in from the sky, only when we’ve ensured they are attempting what they say and before any casualties occur. We must be very fast.”

Nightwing carried on. “And then the rest of us will be on the ground. Wallace, you’re going to get to Damian as fast as you can. We have no clue how many guards are going to be surrounding him as this unfolds and Rose is no fool- she’ll know she’s been double-crossed.”

Wallace set his hands on his hips. “You know how fast I’m gonna be able to do that? I’m gonna have so much time on my hands.” Nightwing smiled at him.

Batman leaned in fractionally. “And I will be there to retrieve the soldier and ensure he’s in safe hands. We need to know how willing his participation in this experiment is. But for the moment, there is more to discuss.” He turned towards the raven.

The gravity of the room shifted, as though they had all been told to acknowledge the elephant in the room they wanted nothing more than to ignore. Kori frowned.

“I can handle my father,” Raven started. Batman studied her.

“Your herculean act of capturing him when the League failed to, proved that,” said Batman. “Your philanthropic act afterwards of containing him yourself moved the League as well.

“But if there’s now a chance he can get out…”

“He can’t,” said Raven firmly. “He just talks when he can. It means nothing. Repetitive threats.”

“Repetitive?” Batman caught.

Shit.

“We can head off anything comminatory from Trigon to give him less of a hold,” said Nightwing, more to Batman than anyone else. “Take away his hand over Raven.” Then he looked at her. “What is he threatening you with?”

Shit.

Raven felt her throat constrict as all of her teammates watched her in concern and curiosity. She swore this would never be an issue. It pained her that her problem had now become other’s worry.

“He can’t be threatening your life,” said Starfire. “We know he needs you to act as a portal into other realms.”

All cards on the table. It had to come out.

“He’s not threatening my life,” said Raven. It was an immense feeling, them all watching her… his brother… his _father…_

She looked down at the floor and away, fists clenched at her side. ”He’s threatening Damian’s.”

Batman and Nightwing’s heads both picked up.

“Damian’s?” asked Jaime in complete surprise. “Why-“ he cut off as Raven closed her eyes in defeat, seemingly revealing all.

_“O-oh.”_

It was silent for several moments after Nightwing’s response. Though she wanted to know what they were thinking, she didn’t want to meet their gaze. But she knew they now understood it wasn’t simply the pure image of Rose Wilson naked that set her off last night.

She could still feel the jealousy and disgust rise in her throat as she pictured the scene again.

Someone walked forward and put a hand on her shoulder. Raven looked up disbelievingly at Batman.

“He’ll never touch him,” he said in a voice more soothing than she ever thought she’d hear from him. “I’ll speak with Zatanna and John Constantine after the mission today. If there’s anyone that can help you with this burden, it’s them.” He declined his head towards her further.

“You do not deserve to carry this alone.”

Raven felt a strong surge of hope swell in her chest at his words. It reminded her well of when Damian told her what home was years ago. There was an uptick at the corner of Batman’s mouth that Raven happily returned. The Dark Knight turned away and Raven saw the expressions on her team’s faces ranging from disbelief to awe to something curiosity-like. Conner looked almost critical.

Wallace smacked his lips loudly. “Man, he gets _all_ the luck.”

“This changes nothing,” said Nightwing. He was the only one not staring at her. “We take off in an hour. Everyone get your fighting shoes ready.”

The assembly of Titans broke off, nearly every one casting a backwards glance at Raven. Even Cassandra curiously gave her a sad look as she and Batman took leave. Though, before they left Raven alone, Nightwing and Kori each threw a grin her way.

Raven smiled. She had never imagined outing her feelings like that in front of everyone, but if she had, it wouldn’t have ever gone half as well as that.

~

Dawn had still not yet lit the sky as Raven and the others took position. She was hanging on the left of Conner with Kori. Donna and Cassie took his other flank.

Superboy was using his Kryptonian eyes to watch the convoy carefully as Nightwing studied from the ground where Damian and H.I.V.E were currently positioned through the lens. H.I.V.E had chosen to ambush the military transfer unit twenty miles outside of its destination, seemingly in the middle of nowhere for less eye witnesses. This made things much easier for the Titans.

_“Convoy is four cars. H.I.V.E is a quarter of a mile out,”_ came Nightwing’s voice in their ear.

“I can see them,” confirmed Conner. “I can hear them. The trio are about a hundred yards out in front of the rest, on some dirt crawler thing the kid Gizmo is driving.”

_“Superboy,”_ came Batman’s, _“can you confirm the location of the super soldier?”_

“Second truck from the front,” said Conner. “He’s lying in some cryo-chamber thing incapacitated with only a couple of guards around him. These guys aren’t that heavily armed. Just regular fireworks, nothing heavy.”

_“Good. Less of a mess they’ll make,”_ said Nightwing.

Raven tried to concentrate more on the events beneath her. She wouldn’t be able to see much more than the blur of lights from this exorbitant distance without going into her demonic form; they were several miles up.

“They’re going in hot,” Conner warned.

“Strike hard and strike fast Titans,” said Kori. “We cannot risk one casualty. _Dive!_ ”

Donna, Cassie, and Conner immediately dropped like speeding bombs, Raven and Starfire hot on their heels. The plan was to see if Donna and Conner could both simultaneously tag an off-guard Mammoth together to get their hitter out of the game quickly, but, unfortunately, it seemed as if Cassie was trying to race them down there.

“Remember the plan,” called Starfire futilely. Cassie was surely trying to beat them there, a determination Raven should have noticed.

Raven could hear what Superboy could now. Mammoth had tackled the front convoy truck and the others came to screeching halt, veering off the road to avoid the behemoth.

Nightwing’s voice rang urgently in their ears.

_“Rose Wilson is ordering every man killed and every piece of technology destroyed. Get them now!”_

Conner turned the jets on and cracked the sky with a speed burst, covering the remaining mile with a single moment. Raven turned demonic just in time to see Mammoth look in their direction as Superboy threw a fist forward into his jaw so powerful that she felt the concussive force from a quarter mile up.

“Flash, get to Damian!” ordered Starfire. Raven involuntarily threw a glance towards midnight trucks that had also come to an abrupt halt, several men and women in H.I.V.E uniform getting out.

She saw him, plaited in the Demon’s Head armor, looking supremely unbothered. It felt like slow motion the moment realization dawned on Rose Wilson’s face as she turned towards him.

It happened far quicker than the blink of an eye.

“Don’t mess with black lightning, scrubs,” chimed Wallace, instantly by Damian’s side in a race position. His grin was so smug that Raven smiled. They were surrounded by nearly twenty unconscious H.I.V.E soldiers, Rose Wilson down among them.

Raven turned towards the matter at hand.

Donna and Conner were fighting Mammoth together, who simply clawed at the air like a bear trying to swat them, pain and dizziness clear on his face. Raven summoned a shield around Starfire as Gizmo launched an unexpected explosive and fired a bolt of black energy down upon him. He dodged and began flying around with his jetpack when Cassie caught him in both hands like a football and crushed it.

_“Just like I told you, Raven,”_ came Batman’s calm voice in her ear.

Raven focused her magic on the armored military vehicles. None of the men were badly hurt, but the trio had done some damage when Mammoth attacked the front and Gizmo the back. Discreetly, Raven crushed a few of the tires on the remaining two, ensuring the government’s secret soldier experiment didn’t get away.

Jinx was all that was left. Kori had a green bolted hand fixed on her, ready for any inkling of a fight, but they were simply staring at each other. Jinx looked rather uninterested.

Starfire lowered her hand.

“Game over,” said Nightwing’s voice much clearer. Raven turned as the ground forces of the Titans made it, some looking disgruntled.

“ _Dios Mio,”_ said Jaime, folding his arms crossly, “this is the third mission in a row that I haven’t done anything!”

“Papa needs some action,” Garfield agreed gruffly.

“Don’t call yourself ‘papa’,” Donna retorted. A quiet hiss of the Batwing approached them and came to a stop, landing not fifty feet from them. Batman and Batgirl leapt out.

Batman surveyed the area. Conner hopped off Mammoth’s unconscious body and Cassie dropped Gizmo who was in a similar state.

“A flawless job, Starfire,” he said. Kori beamed.

“Batman,” one of the military men said. The leader, Raven supposed. Most were unharmed, he among them. “What is this?”

“An attempted ambush by an organization recently revived,” said Batman without missing a beat. He drew a batarang from beneath his cape and, almost lazily, threw it perfectly to the lock on the vehicle’s back door. It stuck and exploded, blasting the doors off.

“What secrets are you hiding, lieutenant?” asked Batman seriously to the shocked man. He began making his way over there as H.I.V.E agent bodies began appearing out of thin air on the ground beside them- Wallace was running them back and forth, making sure they were all accounted for.

Raven tried not to stare as Damian made his way over. His eyes drifted from her to the vehicle his father was no entering and back again.

“Nice look,” commented Raven as he got to them.

“It served its purpose,” replied Damian. His gaze flickered behind her and she turned, then frowned. The team had obviously just been watching the two of them.

“Everyone accounted for?” asked Damian as Rose Wilson’s limp body appeared not ten feet from him. He stared at her apathetically.

“Everyone who should be down is, and we’re all okay,” said Kori. The team was huddled together now. “We did _flawless,_ ” she said, smiling as she repeated Batman’s chosen word.

“Yeah, _wonderful job_ guys, we really stuck it to them,” said Jaime loudly. Cassie laughed under her breath.

“Are we all forgetting something?” asked Nightwing critically. They all turned. Jinx was watching them all, casually leaning on the closest dysfunctional military vehicle. Raven sensed no tenseness in her, no real want for a fight. Just a… wonder… and a sadness.

“You didn’t fight with the others,” said Starfire. “Why?”

Jinx merely studied her for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. Her gaze drifted to Damian. Both her and Raven’s eyes tightened.

“So you were with them the whole time?” she asked, a sour edge in her voice.

“Obviously,” said Damian. Raven fought back a sigh. He never disappoints.

Jinx studied him as well.

“You could’ve been one of us,” she finally said. Raven felt her bitterness.

“I could’ve been a lot of things,” said Damian. He didn’t look as hostile anymore. “But I _am_ a Titan.”

There was a moment of pause. And then-

He stepped forward. “And you could be, too.” Jinx’s eyes went wide as Damian offered her an elegant hand, exactly the same way he had the alienated girl at the gala.

Nightwing and Kori shifted beside Raven. Like the team, they weren’t uncertain. More curious.

Jinx stared at his hand, then profusely shook her head. “No, no way. You don’t know what you’re getting into with me. I’ve hurt people. I’ve _killed_ people.”

“So have I,” Damian revealed easily. Jinx gaped. “More than you possibly, if tonight is any gauge.” He waved towards all the military men inspecting their vehicles and cuffing the unconscious H.I.V.E bodies. All of them alive. Damian leaned in more towards Jinx and spoke in a lower, more intimate voice that Raven and the team rarely heard.

“The Titans are not here to judge you for your worst actions.”

Raven saw the flash of emotion in Jinx’s eyes as they tightened before she put her guards back up.

“I-I’ll go with you,” she relented. “Anywhere is better than here anyway. Or wherever they take these guys.” She grimaced at Mammoth’s still unconscious body. She glanced with them all as more military vehicles began arriving.

“Stand over here on our side,” spoke Nightwing quickly. “Don’t draw any attention to yourself.” Jinx stared at him incredulously for a moment, but nodded and walked quickly to stand beside Jaime and Garfield, who both grinned at her.

“The _familia_ grows,” said Jaime happily.

“This calls for a celebration,” said Garfield. He threw his arms up in the air. “My vote is on Damian to make a breakfast feast at the tower!”

Damian frowned at them. “How can _you_ vote for _me_ to cook?”

“Easy _hermano_ ,” said Jaime, “you’re the only one that really knows how.”

“You cook, too?” asked Jinx in disbelief. Raven wondered if any of the others heard the trace of longing in her tone.

“Very well,” Donna smiled at her friendly.

“ _Pshh,_ that’s an understatement,” said Wallace. “This guy just doesn’t fry up some eggos and bacon, he makes _brioche_ French toast with homemade _seasonal_ syrup.”

“Damnit Alfred,” Damian muttered under his breath. Raven grinned at him. He caught it and smiled softly in return. Their eyes held nicely for a long moment.

The atmosphere turned far more serious as Batman stepped out of the vehicle with a stranger. His body shone silver as if he was wearing some kind of suit and there was an odd squiggly red symbol on his chest that Raven couldn’t identify. He was holding his head as if he were still woozy from a very deep sleep.

“That couldn’t be,” he was saying, and Raven learned the silver wasn’t a suit at all, it was his _skin,_ “are you sure, Mr. Batman?”

“The formalities aren’t needed.” Batman’s voice had adopted the soothing tone again. “I looked into your files, commander. You served our country well and without fail. But they worried that your spirit wouldn’t be in their favor. You killed when necessary, but spared when you could.” Batman paused for a moment. “That’s the spirit of a _hero,_ Commander Adams, not a soldier.”

Commander Adam’s lips parted as he took in what Batman said. In the next instant, a gush of wind blew past them all sharply and a new face arrived.

Superman had arrived, standing next to Batman and the commander as if he’d always been there.

Batman didn’t miss a beat. He looked at Superman as if he _had_ always been there.

“I called you over a minute ago,” he said. “What took you so long?”

“Had to give the boss the slip,” smiled Superman. “The _Mrs._ and I are working some early mornings for the moment.”

“Superman,” said Commander Adams in awe. Superman turned more serious.

“Commander,” he greeted, shaking his hand. “I think we’ve got a lot to discuss.” He turned to the Titans. “You all did a fantastic job. Unremarkable work again, all of you.”

“Yeah, I was pretty great,” Jaime kept up. Cassie elbowed him. Conner, who’d been standing off to the side with Batgirl, looked as smug as Wallace had. Superman smiled proudly at his son.

“Take these agents away,” he said to the military men coming out of the recently arrived vehicles.

“Special restraints on those two,” said Batman, looking at Mammoth and Gizmo. An older, very serious looking man in a black suit decorated with many badges walked forward.

“Superman, Batman, a pleasure. Now, release our commander to us immediately. You do not have the right to question him.”

Commander Adams did not move. He looked almost sad at the one trying to call the shots.

“We were going to have Thanksgiving together, Edward..” he said sadly. Superman placed a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s coming with us,” he told the older man firmly. He was opening his mouth to retaliate, but Batman beat him to it.

“And any further challenges can be met in a public court revealing illicit government experimentations,” he said. He leaned towards the man menacingly.

The man looked ready to snarl, but the trio of heroes already turned their backs. The military men were almost finished apprehending all of H.I.V.E’s recruits, but as they lifted Rose Wilson’s body she came around. Raven and Damian were in her direct line of sight as she was hauled away, hurt and hatred like a light-up billboard on her face.

“ _Traitor_!” she screamed. “Unworthy! You betray family for these _freaks!_ Your grandfather would spit on what you’ve become! You’re no better than my father, you traitorous piece of filth! The League’s blood is on _your_ hands!”

Damian had a very controlled reaction. Raven and Nightwing both watched him. With giving nothing, not a facial movement or an inkling to Raven’s senses, he turned and began walking away as if he’d heard nothing at all. Raven knew he would want no words of comfort for the moment. He wanted and needed to sit in what he’d done.

“He’ll be okay,” said Batman, walking up to her and Nightwing. Dawn was finally approaching, casting sharp light from the east.

“I know,” said Raven. She watched as the team threw him glances and began to dispatch from the area, a new recruit in their midst that felt hopeful.

~

Breakfast that morning at Titans tower had been an enjoyable feast yet again. After much clamoring, Garfield, Jaime, and Wallace did get Damian (who also drug Dick down with him) to prepare a meal for everyone. Raven sat at the breakfast bar drinking tea as they worked, helping them out with small tasks like measuring liquids and grabbing from the pantry.

When plates full of _brioche_ French Toast, thick-cut slices of bacon, Belgian waffles, berries, eggs, and the seasonal syrup that Wallace spoke of were set on the table, the Titans adjourned happily.

The clatter around the table was loud, nearly reaching pandemonium at times. Wallace, who hadn’t really had a real fight, told an epic story of how he dodged bullets and the H.I.V.E agents pleaded for mercy. Damian, who’d obviously been right there witnessing everything, simply smiled and ate his breakfast without comment. Conner had been recalling his macho fight with Mammoth that was the centerpiece of the action, but Donna was acting rather coolly during the retelling (she had been slightly put out with Conner after Batgirl hugged him goodbye). Cassie, who’d been feeling down when breakfast started (she’d had her first scolding by Starfire while Damian and Dick cooked for trying to be a solo star), began to look much more cheery as Garfield and Jaime constantly made remarks during all of the story telling and was laughing loudly along with everyone else by the end.

The only person to remain truly quiet was Jinx. Though she had a seat in the center area of the table between Donna and Garfield by Kori’s insistence, she hadn’t said a word or really even laughed. She was quiet and observant, watching each member of the team as much as she was Damian.

“There won’t be any training today,” announced Kori as the plates emptied. “Relax and enjoy yourselves, Titans. You’ve earned it.”

“Yeah,” Nightwing put in, “we did _flawless_.” Kori smiled at him.

Gar and Jaime zoomed to the common area alongside Wallace, but Conner was more interested in trying to make amends with a currently stand-offish Donna. Cassie, after attempting a surreptitious glance between Raven and Damian, walked off with her sister. Donna had just asked Raven to join them, but she declined saying she needed to meditate.

Jinx left the table as silently as she ate. Damian watched and he and Raven looked at each other before getting up, wordlessly agreeing to check on her.

They found her in the Titan’s library, a large section of the tower floors below the common area. She was seated in one of the comfortable leather arm chairs that looked out over the bay to Jump City. The late morning light lit it beautifully.

She looked up as Damian took a seat across from her. Her eyes darted to Raven just beside him.

“This is all so stupid,” she said, starting off on a high note, “I don’t belong here.”

“Does it look like either of us do?” asked Raven. Jinx looked between them both and conceded. She stared at the ground sadly.

“It doesn’t matter what you were,” said Damian, “all that matters is that you want to do better. You have to _try_.”

Jinx looked at him a little bitterly. “You think I haven’t wanted to do better before? I didn’t want anything to do with H.I.V.E or that man-slaughtering crazy bitch. But I can’t help what I’ve _done._ I can’t run away from my past acts. I wasn’t _dealt_ a hand, I picked it.” Her face turned uglier as she stared out the glass paneled wall. “Redemption is for the fools who never knew they deserved it.”

Damian looked as if he were deliberating something for a moment. Then he removed his mask.

“There’s a girl by the name of Cleo Waiters,” he started, Jinx and Raven both giving him their attention, “who has a permanent residence at the upper city Gotham Methodist Hospital. Leukemia,” he said, answering their question. “She’s potentially going to enter Stage 4 soon… but if there’s anything I can do about it, I will, because I have to.”

Her father was a man by the name of Victor. He was a squadron commander in the League of Assassins, an underling of Rose Wilson’s father. The day Deathstroke came to my home and killed my grandfather, he was there on the front lines of their wretched assault, but fell quickly when my mother raced past him.”

Raven hadn’t heard this story before. She watched intently as Damian dropped his gaze.

“He wasn’t killed,” he said, “just injured. My mother had slashed his leg deeply, nothing fatal at all. But when the time came in the moments that followed when a pistol landed in front of me, I took it and ran forward. I passed by Victor Waiters on the stairs, bleeding and powerless, and shot him dead without hesitation.”

His eyes were steely as he raised them back up to Jinx’s. “His wife had passed away from the same Leukemia battle their daughter struggles with every second now. Except Cleo has no one left in the entire world to care for her, to nurture her and call her family.” His face twisted in self-disgust. “Because I pulled the trigger on a broken man needlessly, taking out the one person she had left.”

Raven watched him mournfully as he dropped his gaze again. “So I’m taking care of everything for her now. The hospital bills, the needs, all of it. But I’ve left her hollow, more so than she already was… I don’t know if I’m redeeming myself at all. I doubt it. But I’ve got to try. Because that’s all we can do. We don’t know if it counts for anything at all. But we have to at least _try._ And, perhaps, someday… if I’m ever strong enough… someday I will kneel before her and ask for forgiveness.”

The look in Jinx’s eyes had changed dramatically. It mirrored Raven’s own. With the force of her full will, she looked from Damian back to Jinx.

“You may not see it, but there’s nothing about you that can’t be saved,” said Raven. She hoped they knew it was meant for them both.

It took Jinx a long moment to speak. It seemed as if she changed her mind several times. And then, finally-

“I-I will try,” she relented.

Damian nodded and Raven felt hopeful. Robin stood again.

“Come then. Titans never do anything alone.” He offered her his elegant hand again. Jinx slowly took it, she and Raven smiling as he helped her.


	8. JLvTT: Round 2

Late November had come to Jump City and the temperature felt mildly cold enough to have allowed for snow in Raven’s opinion. Garfield was often joking about how they would be forced to drop training or any mission in favor of a snow ball fight if it should ever appear and Raven had joined Kori, Donna, Cassie, and Jinx for a hot chocolate night on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

They were circled around the table closest to the ceiling-to-floor windows of the lunch area, the dark sky covering all but a thin layer of a dulling orange sky over the city’s area on the horizon. Raven enjoyed the rich chocolatey and creamy beverage while the girls talked.

“He was _totally_ staring,” Cassie was saying with a dramatic edge and eye roll. Donna looked appreciatively at her sister. The Amazonians had been out with their bigger sister Wonder Woman the day prior for a Sunday brunch. Donna had donned a tasteful black pants suit with a deep v-line showing copious cleavage. Raven had thought the dress-up had been for Conner’s sake and, sure enough, Donna had performed a sort of cat-walk right by Superboy with a face that had said she wasn’t even aware of his presence.

“I think the job was done,” said Kori, sipping her own mug.

“And jaws don’t fall open like that because of the perfume a girl is wearing,” added Jinx. She swirled her own mug thoughtfully.

“Thanks girls,” said Donna, but she frowned into her own hot chocolate before sighing tiredly. “Ugh. It just seems like he flirts with everything that walks though. Did you know when we were out patrolling Thursday a couple of girls asked to take a picture and he willingly put his arms around their waist? They didn’t even ask, it’s just his _instinctive_ drive to snuggle up next to any woman.”

“Must be the Luthor in him,” said Raven.

“Where is he tonight?” asked Cassie.

“He’s with Damian out patrolling,” said Raven automatically. She kept her own eyes on the emptying mug in her hand.

“Trying to show off in front of the cutest girl he can find I don’t doubt,” sighed Donna. She looked at Kori. “You’re lucky Dick is as true as an arrow. Although you can just kick his ass if he tried anything…”

Kori waggled her eyebrows. “That’s not all I do with that ass.”

“Kori,” Raven moaned, before giggling with the other girls.

“So, Jinx,” Kori continued, more hesitantly, “have _you_ thought about asking one of the boys out?”

Raven focused on her cup.

“Not yet,” said Jinx. “Honestly, before now I thought it was frowned upon to try dating within the team.”

Cassie and Donna frowned. “Why do you say that?” asked Kori.

“Well, Jaime has his girlfriend in town,” said Jinx, looking at her own mug again, “it doesn’t sound like Garfield has asked anyone out on a date despite _always_ talking about _mamas,_ and… seriously… how is _Damian_ still single?”

“How indeed,” muttered Cassie, taking a sip.

Raven felt the awkwardness pass from the other two. After Raven’s confession of what Trigon’s attempted threats to her were, it had not been spoken out loud. They had made it embarrassingly obvious of trying to leave the two of them alone together whenever the opportunity arose, with the exception of Cassie.

“Damian would be a tough one to try a relationship with,” Donna tried to delicately explain, “he’s more than just a closed off guy. There’s a lot of intricate layers there.”

Jinx snorted. “Yeah, I hear you. A green-eyed Adonis with genius intelligence that saves lives on the daily as a real hero and also cooks like his name is Joel Robuchon. No, you’re right, I can hold out for better.”

Cassie laughed. Kori smiled, but surveyed Jinx with an almost worried expression.

“So… you _like_ him?”

Jinx merely shrugged. “It fades the more you practice with him.”

This time Raven joined the girls in snorting. Damian had definitely shown his tougher side with Jinx after the library talk when they’d had training sessions. Jinx, who loathed being instructed like she was somebody’s intern, snapped at Damian several times during each team building formation.

They were beautiful moments in Raven’s opinion.

They talked little more on the boys and more on what the girls had lined up for the end of the year, provided no longstanding mission come in the way.

Cassie’s mother was on a three-month long expedition in South America so she would be joining Donna in remaining at the tower throughout the New Year. Jinx shrugged again saying she would do whatever. Raven knew she didn’t want to point out the obvious; she had nowhere to go. Though Raven thought there was nothing shameful about that at all- she had nowhere to go for the holidays prior to joining Damian, Dick, and Kori at Wayne Manor for the last two years. The Titans had all adjourned together for a feast last Christmas morning as Killer Moth had attempted a robbery on the eve of that led throughout the entire night.

“A Titans Thanksgiving then?” said Starfire. “Dick and I had planned to stay here as well. But how can we get Damian to prepare a feast yet again…”

“He seems to go for anything you suggest,” said Jinx, looking to Raven. Just like that, tension was back in place between the other girls.

“I’ll see what I can do,” said Raven. “It’s a lot to ask him to cook that much meat. He became a vegetarian because he loves animals.” She drained the last of her hot chocolate. Night had completely overcome Jump City.

Kori finished her own and stood up. “Don’t stay up too late girls. No team training until after the holiday, but be prepared for anything.”

Raven and the others nodded. Jump City had been quiet since the H.I.V.E escapade. Like the calm before a storm. Raven gave a long look towards the twinkling lights of the tall towers, wondering what was happening there under Damian and Superboy’s watch before nodding goodnight to the other girls, leaving them to their talks of who’d win in an arm wrestling contest- Donna or Cinderblock?

~

That next morning there was much less bustling than usual. Raven figured the team was taking advantage of no eight-in-the-morning-practice sessions and sleeping in what they could. She had tea in relative peace, enjoying the calm of the morning.

Dick and Kori entered around an hour after Raven had sat down and informed her Batman had called (did he ever tire?) a while ago to inform them the Justice League had a training implementation they wanted to run by the Titans tomorrow.

“Did he give any hint what it would be?” asked Raven as Kori sat on the opposite side of her. She and Dick had both obviously been planning on simply lounging about the day, each dressed in stretchable sweatpants and comfortable cotton tops.

“Does he ever,” said Dick. “He just said to make sure the entire team was present and ready.” He paused. “He didn’t seem that disappointed when we told him none of us would be by for Thanksgiving this year.”

“Maybe he’s got plans with someone already,” said Raven cheekily.

“Y-yes, like a stake-out with another Justice League member,” said Kori, throwing a look at her friend. None of them had brought up Batman’s budding relationship with Wonder Woman to Dick yet. Damian had groaned when he found out walking in on Cassie filling the other girls in one afternoon at lunch.

“He does try to usually get busy for the holidays,” said Dick, noticing nothing. “I’m going to scope out the city in the comms room, see if anything is going on.” Kori joined him, standing up.

Raven fiddled with the black diamond bracelet on her wrist, wondering if Damian would be there.

“I’ll join you,” she said, standing up as well.

They made their way to the comms room, recently outfitted with new monitors and top-of-the-line systems from Wayne Enterprises. It was late morning and Raven idly wondered how everyone else could still be sleeping. There was, of course, an exception in the comms room already, watching the monitor apprehensively.

“You’re waking up slow in your old age,” said Robin to Dick as he sat down in the chair next to him. Robin’s gaze never wavered from the monitors, which were displaying police channels and surveying main street corners in Jump City. Raven and Kori stood behind them.

“You’ll know a bit of what that’s like when you start living with someone,” grinned Dick. Kori rolled her eyes, but smiled. Dick’s attention turned to the main monitor. “Pft, like you would just be watching a street corner.” He swiftly reached out and tapped a key before Damian could protest and the image changed, now showing Jinx in the training room, blasting holograms with her pink magic, practicing alone.

“ _Ah_ ,” choked Dick awkwardly, clearly wishing he hadn’t noticed anything. Raven felt Kori’s gaze flicker to her momentarily.

Damian’s mouth was set in a hard line, but he didn’t say anything. Raven didn’t want to attempt to see how he felt. She felt a little numb herself.

Dick cleared his throat. “So, what’s going on here? Do you… still not trust her, or something?”

“I trust her well enough,” said Damian automatically. “She’s not hiding anything. I’m just tracking progress on something.”

“Progress,” repeated Dick wearily. Raven watched Jinx land gracefully in a bow as she defeated the simulation.

“If you have feelings for her,” she said before she could stop herself, “you should say something. You owe it to yourself to let her know how you feel.”

Dick’s head dipped and Kori looked at her in surprise. And almost… with a little pity.

Damian turned all the way around in his chair to face Raven, the corner of his mouth twisted downwards.

“What I _feel_ is that Jinx is an adequate teammate who is not the sum of her past actions. I watch her train like Starfire and Grayson because she needs to dial back her draconian fighting style.” His gaze flicked back to the monitor as they heard the panel doors to the training room open. His frown disappeared as he saw who it was. “And as for any _romantic_ issues revolving around her, observe.”

Confused, but curious like Dick and Kori, Raven watched the monitor as Garfield approached Jinx from behind with a friendly smile.

“Hey,” he said, “getting in some early practice?”

“Obviously,” grumbled Jinx, not looking at him. Garfield’s good mood didn’t waver.

“I could train with ya,” he said. “I couldn’t get any sleep either.”

“No thanks,” said Jinx. “I’m already done.”

“That’s cool.” Garfield was still elated. “How about some breakfast? Jaime and Wallace are sleeping in and it’s not fun making tofu dogs for one.”

Jinx finally looked at him with an expression between scowling and incredulousness. “ _Tofu_ dogs? No thanks. I’ve eaten most of the animals you turn into.”

“That’s all cool,” Garfield embraced energetically, “I don’t judge. Damian’s the only one that ever actually eats them with me anyway. At least let me make you some bao buns. I’ve gotten _really_ good at them!”

Jinx took a moment to respond. She seemed to be trying to take Garfield in, as if she hadn’t really considered who he was yet. She frowned at him.

“I’m not going to get rid of you, am I?”

Garfield laughed and threw his arm around Jinx’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. When you get a load of a _Beast Boy Breakfast,_ you won’t _want_ to get rid of me!” And with that, he led her enthusiastically away from the training room, babbling on while Jinx wore a slight frown.

Kori, Raven, and Dick had all been watching open-mouthed. Damian turned silently in his chair towards them all and got up.

“Well,” he said, “if any of you need any more of my genius, I’ll be running the training simulation.”

Dick and Kori chuckled. Raven smiled at him as he walked past, which Damian returned. In a few more moments, Dick was surfing the street corners of Jump City and around the areas the Titans had known for villainy to pop up.

Raven could feel it coming. She wasn’t surprised when Kori turned towards her.

“Have you told him your feelings?” she asked softly. Dick’s head tilted slightly in their direction. Raven forced herself to look back at Kori with an even expression.

“It’s not that easy,” she said.

“You owe it to yourself to let him know how you feel,” reminded Kori gently. Raven looked away from her, but now Dick had turned around in his chair to them, wearing a similarly soft expression.

“How long have you gone with not saying anything?” he asked. “Months? You deserve more than that, Raven.”

A memory flashed in Raven’s mind. Terra’s sneak attack on her over three years ago that hadn’t panned out. Their battle in a room just a few floors from here. She’d angered Raven, throwing her powers off by telling her her friends had left her alone, just like she’d always be. That she had been in a fool in letting them be destroyed as she was the only one who could’ve realized what Terra really was, and was too much of a fool to stop it. That Damian would never return her affections, never look back at her the way she absently would him when he wasn’t looking…

That was back when Raven hadn’t even admitted it to herself yet. It was the realization more than anything that toppled Raven’s control over her powers, allowing Terra to claim the battle.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Raven to the both of them. “Trigon could be waiting for the right moment to spring. Even a sliver of power can’t get out. I’m not putting his life at risk because of how I feel.” She turned her back to them, catching Kori’s frown in her peripheral vision before she left.

She wandered the halls aimlessly, her head down and hood up, only paying enough attention to avoid the training facility. She was thinking it would probably do well to meditate in her room or the library for a few hours when she heard a voice.

“So you thought I had feelings for Jinx?”

Raven glanced up. Damian was leaning against the wall, wherever they were, arms folded. Raven’s heart stuttered, but she wouldn’t admit it.

“I just wanted you to be happy if you had,” replied Raven. “I thought you were training?”

Robin shrugged. “Donna beat me there. I think she’s hopeful Conner will join her, but I doubt that lughead is awake yet.”

Raven gave a small chuckle. “You’re probably right.” They stared at each other for a long moment. The moment suddenly seemed too important to break.

“They should just… say something, right?” said Raven. Did he possibly…? She watched Damian’s chin lift and jaw work.

“There’s no reason for them not to,” he agreed. His posture was taut, as though he were afraid to move.

Raven felt a dash of hope in her chest. Was Damian hinting at something? She turned her shoulders square to him.

When-

“Aye, _mi amigos,_ ” called out Jaime, happily. Raven and Robin both jumped, startled. “Have either of you seen Garfield? Wallace and I are trying to get some two-on-two ping pong going on.”

“I haven’t,” said Raven and Damian sighed. She didn’t want him to break up any potential moment between Beast Boy and Jinx. Like he had this one…

“Maybe get Conner,” suggested Damian. “I think he and Donna are in the training room. They’ll play you.”

Jaime snapped his fingers and made off the other way, waving goodbye. Raven turned back to Damian, a crinkle in her brow that he couldn’t see because of the hood. His mood had shifted to more business-like.

“My father is going to be here tomorrow with some other members of the Justice League,” he said. Raven nodded.

“Do you know what for?” she asked. He shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, “but he wouldn’t waste his own time if it wasn’t serious, especially dragging along half of his team.” He grimaced. Raven imagined herself what it would be.

“They should all be resting up,” said Damian crossly, looking down the hallway where Jaime disappeared.

“It’s the holidays,” Raven disagreed. “Let them have their fun.”

Damian shrugged again. They went back to simply gazing at one another for a moment. Raven couldn’t help but wonder if Damian was stymied by the same difficulty she was.

“Are you going out patrolling today?” asked Raven. Damian nodded.

“Someone has to,” he said. He paused.

“Would you come with me?”

Raven gaped, and hesitated. Her thoughts flickered to what could transpire if it were a slow day. At the same moment, her head burned. She resisted the urge of clasping her forehead.

“I-I can’t. I need to meditate.”

Damian simply nodded and immediately turned, walking briskly away. Raven felt wilted and resentful for her father, robbed of a moment yet again as she stared sadly at Damian’s back.

~

The day unfolded uneventfully. Damian returned well after dark carrying a sort of limp that he made Nightwing ignore. Raven was well aware of Kori watching her as she watched him. Damian’s gaze flicked up to hers, but dropped instantly, as if he’d already decided to not say anything.

_Would you come with me?_ replayed in her head again. She wished he’d say something now.

They were having a late dinner as Dick and Kori explained to them late afternoon that they would indeed be having a last training session before the holiday. Jinx looked bored while the rest of them gasped when told Batman would be arriving with Superman and Wonder Woman in the morning.

“Any idea what he’s up to?” asked Conner. “My dad hasn’t said anything to me about this at all.”

“Nor has Princess Diana to us,” frowned Donna.

“It’s just a training exercise,” assured Dick. “There’s no reason for anyone to feel antsy. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can handle it.”

“Just make sure to get plenty of rest, Titans,” said Kori.

“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be real easy to wind down now,” said Jaime sarcastically. Wallace chuckled. Curiously, Jinx subconsciously rose at the exact time Garfield had, Raven noted. She left with the three boys without saying a word.

“You should get that looked at in the medical bay,” said Dick to Robin. Damian involuntarily moved his left side. “What happened?”

“Nothing spectacular, Grayson,” said Damian. “I’ll get it taken care of.” He rose and left without another word himself, leaving behind a bowl of half eaten vegetable stew.

“Any ideas as to what’s cooking him?” Dick asked the girls. Cassie was watching where Damian left sadly as well.

“None,” said Raven.

~

The morning before Thanksgiving featured a breeze colder than most. Raven was grateful for her cloak as she stood next to Damian and the Amazonian sisters when the Batwing was coming to a land behind the Titans Tower.

Raven was surprised when Batman jumped out alone. Cassandra Cain had been with him every time she’d seen him lately.

“Titans,” he greeted sharply. His gaze flicked from Nightwing to Robin before it landed on Starfire, standing in front of the Titans line with her hands folded promptly behind her back.

“Welcome Batman,” she said. “The Justice League has a new training regime you wish the Titans to adopt?”

“Not particularly, Starfire,” he said. Nightwing’s eyes narrowed as Batman lifted his gaze to the sky. Superman and Wonder Woman were both coming in, shortly being no more than pebbles in the sky to landing next to their fellow Leaguer.

“Morning Starfire,” called Superman. Raven idly wondered if he had to act like a loving president wherever he went. “Thank you for assembling everyone _so close to the holidays_.” He finished off throwing a look at Batman next to him during the last few words. Evidentially, they were disagreeing on this.

Wonder Woman looked like she was trying not to smile.

“If you could tell use exactly what this is for,” said Starfire, looking curiously between the trio.

Batman looked back at her. “The Titans have performed their tasks perfectly to the best of expectations. Between extra-dimensional attacks and attempted coups from secret organizations, your team has handled all deficits admirably, bar none.”

They waited. Batman titled his head towards them. “It’s time your team trained often for a higher level of assault. There’s no reason for the Titans to not be as every bit as prepared as the Justice League for an Omega-level crisis.”

“Who says we aren’t?” Nightwing quipped. His arms folded. “Just what is this training program you’ve got in mind, Batman?” Batman looked back at his son evenly.

“You’re looking at it.”

The atmosphere changed dramatically. Nightwing’s arms folded as he stared at his father. Damian’s teeth ground together next to Raven, who eyed Superman and Wonder Woman suspiciously.

“There’s no singular entity more powerful than Superman,” said Batman to them all, “except for perhaps the person standing next to him.” Wonder Woman threw him a glowing look. “This is the highest level we can train with. I know the Titans have trained well, sparring amongst each other. It’s the same concept.”

“I get to go up against Superman?” asked Wallace excitedly. Jaime nudged him.

“This isn’t a joke, dude.”

“It certainly isn’t, Beetle,” Wonder Woman agreed. “Batman said it well: you’ve all done admirably, even by the highest of standards. It’s time you all, the older members especially, began training to overcome any obstacle that even the Justice League may get thrown their way.”

Starfire studied them. Then she exchanged a long look with her fiancé. She turned her head back to the trio, and nodded.

“Nightwing, Robin,” said Batman, “come forward.”

Raven and the rest of the Titans began backing away as Dick and Damian mimicked Batman, walking forward to the general middle between the groups. Worry flashed in her mind at Damian- he was still slightly limping. He hadn’t fully taken care of it.

Batman stood across from the two young men he raised. He studied them intently, drawing out his tight fists menacingly from beneath his cape.

“In the past, I’ve let each of you win,” he said. “This time, I won’t hold back. Fight as if I mean to kill you!”

Damian drew his katana and Dick, his sticks. Any sense of this being just a playful joust with their father was wiped from their face as they surged forward.

Raven watched as Robin’s blade hit off Batman’s wrist guard and was met with a brutally fierce elbow to his side- the same he was limping on. Nightwing tried to match Batman’s ferocity instead of a coordinated assault with Robin and was met with a similar fate. Batman struck harder and faster than any mere mortal Raven had ever seen. But again and again Damian and Richard went at him, occasionally landing a good blow, more often being knocked back. It was particularly brutal when Damian tried to catch his father with a right hook only to immediately follow with a left, both blocked by Batman’s forearms and was then met with a ferocious headbutt that put him on his back. Raven could feel Kori’s urge to call it. Nightwing’s forehead was bleeding identically to Damian’s. There’s no telling which bones were already bruised or broken.

“Enough,” called Wonder Woman calmly after another minute or so. Both of Batman’s underlings were gasping and holding their sides as their father breathed heavily in a karate-like stance.

“Happy holidays at the Wayne household,” muttered Jaime humorlessly. Damian and Dick were both giving Batman an ugly look. Raven fought the urge to immediately heal him as Damian walked back to his spot between Raven and the sisters, ignoring his side which was obviously in pain.

“Next up,” ordered Wonder Woman, after throwing admiring eyes at Batman as he rejoined her and Superman, “Beetle, Cassie… Jinx. You three will face me.”

The new trio trotted forward, looking uncertainly at Wonder Woman across from them, who exuded confidence.

“Begin,” said Batman loudly.

And so on the matches went like that, never ending in the Titan’s favor, though there were promising instances, despite the Justice Leaguers not holding back. Wallace had nearly been fast enough to avoid every movement by Superman, tagging the Man of Steel constantly with faster hits, but Superman had eventually stomped, disrupting the ground beneath them, causing Kid Flash to trip. He put one hand to Wallace and ended it.

His son had not fared any better at all. Superman fought Conner, Donna, and Cassie simultaneously. They would’ve had a much better chance had Cassie not dove in first (causing Starfire to sigh disappointedly) and been deflected hard by Superman. Donna and Conner had fought with a fairly well formed synchronization, however, circling Conner’s father sixty feet in the air, but Superman hit Donna hard in the stomach, knocking Wonder Girl down into the bay and then uppercut his son so hard he nearly reached orbit.

Raven had very nearly had Wonder Woman as she fought in a two-on-one alongside Kori. Her black bolts of energy had been knocked aside by Wonder Woman’s fists, but she’d capsuled Diana as she came in with a black sphere of energy. Raven felt she would have been able to hold on, giving them the victory, had her forehead not surged with heat and cost her her concentration. Wonder Woman had broken out and struck Raven, crashing her to the ground.

Damian constantly insisted on fighting, time and time again. Raven don’t know where he got his stamina. He fought against his father five or six times, despite several injuries until the Justice Leaguers finally said enough.

“Fantastic fighting, Titans,” Wonder Woman commended. “You all are truly gifted warriors.” Her eyes landed on Raven for a moment, rather wistfully, before moving on. “The future of the world is in safe hands with you all.”

“We will call ahead for any further training sessions,” said Batman, with his arms folded. His eyes were on his two sons, standing side-by-side in-between Kori and Raven. “Until then, good work Titans, and we do wish you a happy Thanksgiving tomorrow.”

“Pfft,” said Garfield, also holding his side, “I’m gonna spend it feeling like the turkey that got hunted.” He began moving away slowly back to the tower. Jinx watched him, trying to mask the concern on her face.

Superman walked over and began speaking with his son about the holiday tomorrow, while also talking with Donna, as if she were included in whatever their plans were. Wonder Girl’s face reddened, but she spoke evenly with Superman. Conner smiled, a satisfied look on his face, while rubbing the soreness in his jaw.

Batman walked up to Kori, Nightwing, Raven, and Damian, Wonder Woman just behind him.

“Could’ve given us a heads up,” grumbled Nightwing to his father.

“I did,” said Batman flatly. “I told you I was coming.”

Nightwing scoffed. Damian was looking away from them, unaware of Wonder Woman trying to get their attention.

“Will either of you be joining us and Alfred at the manor tomorrow?” she asked. Batman stiffened as she looked at Kori. “I’m told you and Raven have been there for the last two holiday seasons.”

“Joining… you two?” said Nightwing puzzledly. He looked quickly back and forth between his father and Wonder Woman, who were standing close enough to each other that their arms very nearly touched, and gasped.

_“What?”_

Batman frowned at his oldest son as Wonder Woman frowned at him. “You haven’t told your sons about us?”

“For how long?!” demanded Nightwing before Batman could defend himself. His father sighed heavily.

Damian winced in pain, drawing their attention.

“I’ve got to go to the medical bay,” he said. He looked to Wonder Woman. “But no, we’re staying here for Thanksgiving tomorrow. We’ll see you for Christmas. Tell Alfred I miss his dressing already.” He began to walk off.

“I know relationships aren’t your thing, but _how are you not_ more surprised at this?” asked Nightwing, gesturing to their father and his godly arm candy.

“I’ve known for a while now,” said Damian without turning, “Starfire, too.”

Batman tried to hold back a smile as Kori groaned, Nightwing fully staring at her with an open mouth and an accusation of betrayal written on his face. Raven bit her lip and followed after Damian.

“Here, let me help,” she said, grabbing his wrist and lifting an arm over her shoulder. He smiled at her as they made their way inside the tower and up the elevator.

“Way to throw Kori under the bus,” said Raven, bemused. Damian gave a non-committal shrug with his free shoulder, but there was an mischievous uptick at the corner of his mouth. Raven smiled at him.

The elevator doors opened and they were in the medical bay, a large room with several cots and first-aid boxes hanging on the walls. There was also a door leading to a hospital-sized supply of medical and surgical supplies, but they were rarely needed: Raven fixed up any one who didn’t have invulnerability and an excelled healing rate.

They sat at the first cot they came to, Damian gripping his side and shutting his eyes in pain.

“You never got yourself completely healed after you went patrolling yesterday,” said Raven. It wasn’t an accusation. Just the truth. Damian didn’t deny it.

“It was nothing,” he said. “Just an ordinary mugger who shot before he even turned. It’s just a flesh wound,” he added, seeing Raven’s expression, as if that were some comfort.

“Your mask is getting bloody,” she muttered as she inspected his torso. She wondered what all was wrong with him. “May I?” she asked while he took his green Robin mask off. She kept her eyes away from his emeralds. They were sitting so close together.

“Thank you,” he said. Raven placed her palm on his chest and gasped.

“ _Damian,_ ” she scolded. She could feel numerous broken or sprained bones. The area where the bullet had hit. It hadn’t stuck in, but went and out deeply in his side.

“I’m sorry for not going with you,” she said softly. Damian said nothing. His eyebrows were knitted and he was staring at the medical bay floor.

“I can take care of it, if you want,” she told him. Watching him for his reaction.

He lifted his gaze infinitesimally. “You haven’t had to heal me this much since that day, right?”

“Oh, you mean the day you called me a witch girl and attacked Jaime? Yeah, that’s right.”

Damian huffed a breath in laughter, but immediately winced in pain. Raven watched him worriedly.

“Please take care of it,” he said. Raven nodded and they both closed their eyes. She focused on the damage of his body, knowing full well what might happen.

“ _By the powers of Azarath, I beseech you. Azarath Metrion Zinthos._ ”

Just as it had that day, important and impactful moments of Damian’s life flashed into her mind, but they were all different from then… There was Raven with her back to him, before looking over her shoulder, smiling, Trigon’s shard grasped in her hand… Looking down at Slade’s mask in his hands, glancing up at Raven walking to his side. Her revealing Titus from under her cloak… Raven was standing at his side, looking tired from a long night, measuring soy milk in a container with Christmas lights all around. She saw herself look sideways at him and smile happily… She saw herself again sitting so close their knees almost touched on Damian’s bed, a rusty metal locket in her hand. She felt how Damian had leaned fractionally closer…

Raven gasped as she came out of his memories. She felt woozy, but it had not been as bad as it had been that day. She looked straight into emerald eyes.

They stared at each other wordlessly, eyes wide. Raven observed his natural golden tan was now unscathed. Pain no longer tightened his eyes. He was looking wondrously back at Raven.

“You…”

Raven swallowed. He would have seen much of himself in hers if he had witnessed anything at all. “I… yeah.”

Damian’s lips parted. He seemed unable to focus.

“Why did you never say anything?” Raven whispered. She closed their distance by a few inches. Damian looked downwards, a sort of determined look on his face.

He said, “You always had so much on your plate at any given time. More than any of us. Probably more than all of us. With keeping your father prisoner at all times,” he closed his eyes, sighing through his nostrils, “I didn’t want to be some crush from your teammate, adding to the list of things you had to worry about. You deserve more space than that.”

Raven felt unbelievable. Damian looked at her, the question now in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you…?”

“I couldn’t,” said Raven quickly. “More than anything, my father wants to kill you. That’s what he threatens me with all of the time. Damian, please understand,” she closed her own eyes tightly, “your safety… I could never have risked that.”

There was a pause in the moment. Then Raven felt a hand grip hers. She opened her eyes in surprise to see his hand holding hers on the bed. She raised her gaze back up to his emerald eyes, a smile on her face. The determined expression he wore faded slowly into a comforting smile as they gazed into each other’s eyes for a long, lost amount of time.

Yes. Everything would be well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it. I wanted to add elements from how they actually got together in Apokolips War. I hoped my abilities were up to scratch in relaying how I thought it might actually transpire. Also, I'm hoping chapter nine will be up either Friday or Saturday.  
> Long live DamiRae, my friends.


	9. The Season Of Miracles

Thanksgiving had been one of the best times ever at Titans Tower. There was nothing to be done throughout the day other than enjoy each other’s company. Beast Boy, Jaime, Garfield, and Conner ran amok in the common area, playing games and laughing in a celebratory way, being boys, as the girls took the time to simply relax and lounge on the sofas, enjoying the holiday morning specials. Jinx looked unsettled with the warm and cozy atmosphere at first, similarly to how she had the days before at dinner, as if it was alien to her, but she eventually was soothed by conversation and warm tea. Raven caught her glancing at the boys on occasion (like Donna) and, like Donna, Raven felt sure she had been glancing at one boy in particular.

Raven herself was elated. She and Damian (who would again be cooking all day) shared another glance and smile. They’d spent the greater part of yesterday evening together after Raven rested from using so much of her powers. Though they spoke nothing more of love confessions and sat apart, Raven couldn’t help the feeling of a romantic atmosphere. Perhaps it was just the way Damian looked at her, or smiled the way he did.

Raven thought of it again. Damian’s lips had become a forefront interest in her mind again. She’d studied them that night. Allurement arose in her every time they curved. But she hadn’t been able to look anywhere except his eyes when they told each other good night and he turned, heading for his own door.

She was in no hurry. She was in dream land.

“This is _divine,_ ” said Donna from her cushy armchair in bliss, holding a warm ceramic mug, “I don’t even _like_ pumpkin!”

“I am curious how he nails everything down like this,” said Kori, curiously looking down into her own pumpkin latte. There was already a mouth-watering smell coming from the kitchen area.

“He’s a quick study,” murmured Raven, smiling and taking a sip. She felt Kori’s gaze on her. No doubt her oldest friend noticed the subtle euphoric mood Raven seemed to be in.

“She’s here!” Jaime suddenly gasped, looking down at his phone. He glanced up. “Wallace, take over for me.” Wallace sped over to the opposite side of Conner at the fooseball table where Jaime was walking away from, a slight frantic look on his face.

“What’s the score?” asked Wallace seriously.

“Fourteen to three,” said Conner through gritted teeth, glaring at Jaime’s back. Wallace scoffed.

“So the infamous Traci Thirteen is here huh?” said Cassie. “Jaime’s talked a lot about her.”

“We’ve met her a few times before,” said Kori, “only Conner hasn’t. But this is the first time we’ll really get to know her. She’s never been around for anything like a dinner.”

“Because it’s safer for both her and Beetle that way,” Damian reminded them. He walked up holding a small silver platter of thickly cut loaf slices, Dick right behind. Donna was first to him.

“What’s this?” she asked delightedly.

“Chocolate and pumpkin swirl bread with maple marmalade,” said Damian uninterestedly. “Dinner will be a while as none of you could settle on a particular bird, so I made this for anyone’s appetite.”

Donna quickly picked a slice off the tray and inhaled a mouthful, munching happily. When she swallowed, she grinned toothily at Damian. “Marry me.”

Damian snorted lightly, but her expression faltered as she felt Conner’s calculating gaze in her peripheral vision. As she looked away, Damian’s eyes flickered down at Raven who was smiling up at him.

Dick took a slice of the loaf that he (probably) helped make. He grinned at his brother also. “I swear,” he said, “Alfred has had more of an influence on you than Bruce or I ever have.”

Damian said nothing and left his face unreadable as he let Donna take the tray and turn back away towards the kitchens. Raven had reached her senses out to him before (guilty at times that he did all of the cooking there was an actual non-pizza dinner at the tower) and found he felt a soothe-ness while working in the kitchen. It was precision work where he handled flames and a sharp blades. Calming to what he was used to, she supposed.

Raven wondered momentarily if she should give him some extra attention. Would he want that? She entertained the idea idly of following him into the kitchen and wrapping her arms around him from behind. They hadn’t talked at all about telling everybody, or if that even mattered in the slightest (which she thought it didn’t). They’d simply basked in it. Her obsession over his lips began again in her mind.

How enchanting his eyes would be that close…

After a couple of short minutes, the panel doors slid open. Jaime came in side-by-side with a timid looking (but very happy and curious feeling) Traci. She was dressed modestly and her caramel colored hair flowed down well past her shoulders. Her jade eyes scanned her new surroundings with interest and amazement.

Kori greeted her along with Donna, but most of the Titans stayed back to not overwhelm her.

“Welcome Traci,” Kori said politely. Donna was smiling friendly at her side.

“Hi,” said Traci, looking almost sheepish. “Thank you so much for having me! I-It’s-“

“Long over-do,” said Jamie confidently, watching her sideways for her every reaction.

“And we are so glad that you could make it to join us,” helped Kori, smiling as well. “Jaime has told us so much about you.”

“Sometimes we can’t get him to shut up,” muttered Wallace too low for them to hear. Conner sniggered, but Raven shot them a silencing look.

“And I already know all of you pretty much,” said Traci hesitantly, “and Thanksgiving is one of the few times of the year that we have an overhaul of volunteers. So it’s finally a good time and I really wanted to meet Jaime’s other family.” She smiled. “We’ve been getting so much help with funds lately that we’re able to finally give these people a _real_ Thanksgiving feast.”

Raven felt a warmth from her head to her toes as Kori tried not to smile too knowingly. “I’m so glad to hear it. Please, sit. Are you a fan of pumpkin? We also have mustard in the fridge.”

They sat and talked most of the time that flowed from the late morning to early afternoon. Raven quite liked Traci. It wasn’t the first time they met, but the first she’d surely asked her any personal questions. Like Cassie, she often returned her answers modestly and then began asking the Titans possibly everything she could think of. When she got up to meet the guys (Gar had already known Traci for years now), Conner had a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“Oh, hi,” he said loudly, holding his hand out, “I’m sorry, I was focused earlier on beating these chumps in foosball. I’m Superboy, but you can call me Conner. And you, of course, must be the lovely Ana Jaime’s always on the phone with.”

Donna slapped a hand over her eyes as Traci faltered. She threw a confused glance to Jaime, who was staring at Conner with suckered lips and knowing disbelief. Raven couldn’t believe he’d hold on to that foosball lose this long.

“Cute,” Jaime grunted.

“I didn’t know your super-hearing was so far underneath your father’s plane that you couldn’t hear across a room anymore, Kent,” piped up Damian, who’d come strolling into the room with Dick. There was an easiness about both of them now.

Raven had thought ahead to be braced for it. But she felt a twitch of frustration as Traci lifted her eyes to Damian’s face only to flicker too quickly away, just like the other few times they’d met.

It was a good thing both Jaime and Damian were oblivious to her attraction.

“Don’t try to get yourself killed, Wayne,” smirked Conner. “I’m comparable to none.”

“Truly,” Damian agreed. “When people look up to the sky and wonder _‘is it a bird or is it a plane’_ and then they see _you,_ they wished they’d seen a bird or a plane.”

Conner laughed loudly at the jibe. Dick, shaking his head in amusement, turned to his fiancé. “Dinner should be ready soon, babe.”

Jinx sighed from her spot next to Raven. “Thank God. I could eat a whole duck.”

Dick frowned. “The one bird we didn’t make.”

“Damnit.”

“I’m sure everything will be wonderful,” Kori said. She looked lovingly at her betrothed. “Thank you, Dick.”

Dick smiled. From behind him, Damian turned his gaze from Conner. Raven was just about to say something, when-

“And you too, Damian,” came Cassie. She was watching him the same way Raven was. She turned away, not trying to show her annoyance as Damian nodded in acknowledgement.

~

They found each other quickly as the Thanksgiving feast was ready, sitting together across from Jaime and his girlfriend. Traci’s jaw dropped at her first Damian spread. Turkey stuffed with garlic, lemon, and parsley. Also present was a grilled pheasant, glazed black cod with side dishes like truffle brie mashed potatoes, pumpkin risotto, lobster mac and cheese, and wild mushroom gnocchi. Damian had also prepared a vegan beef wellington for he and Garfield.

“This is stupendous,” said Starfire radiantly, sitting down with Dick. When they all took their seats, they gave (some rather quickly) thanks. Though so alike in most ways, Dick and Damian were opposites with how they approached this. Dick proudly gave his thanks for being here, being with family, for everyone’s safety, and for Starfire, which she glowed at. Raven tried not to smile as Damian shrewdly said he was thankful for everything being the way that it was. When told to elaborate, he glared daggers, causing laughter.

They talked vibrantly as they ate, though the enthusiasm was mismatched as eating was precipice. They learned more of Traci’s mysterious background.

“I don’t know my father,” she was telling them. “He was some kind of doctor, but whenever I went to investigate, I never found anything on him.”

“And your mother?” Starfire asked.

“She passed away when I was very young,” said Traci. Raven could tell she’d come to peace with it. “I’ve been on my own a long time. Soup kitchens are what I thrived on. I would go to the tavern for one good meal a week. I _loved it_.”

Jaime was smiling and Raven felt warmth again. Damian next to her gave nothing away whatsoever. He might’ve asked Jaime not to say anything.

They spoke of the generosity of others, how grateful Kori felt when she came to Earth and met Dick and the Titans. Raven and Damian chimed in from time to time, both of them being taken in when they had nowhere else to go, while the other end of the table was recklessly loud. Though it was pleasing to see Jinx laughing with the same jubilance Garfield and Conner were.

The sun was still up, but as it was after everyone’s Thanksgiving meal, a post-feast lull was felt as they dispersed from the table into the common area. Damian walked swiftly to the kitchens, magically unaffected by the enormity of the food, and returned with warm mugs for everybody.

“Dessert,” he said. “Chocolate and espresso cups, so you’re all not useless for the rest of the day.”

Raven smiled and sipped. It was delicious. Kori motioned for her to join the other girls and herself outside on the balcony.

“It’s so beautiful here,” said Traci as the nestled around a round lounge table. It was midday still, but the cool November air without the sharp winds kept it comfortable enough to have sat outside all day. The bay was as calm as one could imagine.

“I could definitely get used to the view,” she continued, smiling.

Kori tapped her mug thoughtfully. “Will you be staying the night with us? The sunrises are not something you should miss.”

Traci looked uncertain. “I’m not- Jaime and I, we haven’t really talked about that. I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“It wouldn’t be imposing at all!” said Donna. “The more the merrier!”

“We’d love to have you,” said Kori. “And our training doesn’t resume until Monday.”

“Oh thank God,” Jinx muttered. Cassie threw a grin at her.

“Well, if you guys don’t mind,” said Traci. Before she took a sip of her dessert, she said, “I’m sure Jaime doesn’t.”

Raven and the others laughed. Donna drank some as well and said, “We’re really glad Jaime found someone so cool.”

Traci looked appreciative. “And what about you girls?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Traci continued, “you girls have it so _good_. It’s like an unwritten law that you have to be incredibly handsome to be a superhero. My friend who volunteers at the tavern from time to time actually has a poster of Robin in her bedroom.”

Raven felt like she was choking and Jinx spluttered into her beverage.

“Did Jaime not tell you that?” asked Traci with an apologetic face. “I figured he’d use that over Robin at some point.”

“I don’t think Damian would be very effected by that,” said Kori.

“He’s a tad on the rigid side,” added Jinx.

“But…” said Jinx. She seemed to do a non-committal tug of her head.

“I know,” said Donna. She seemed to be concentrating on not looking either right or left to her sister or Raven. “It’s actually not so bad when he has the mask on. Then all you’ve got is that jawline. But when the emeralds are out, it can get a little _distracting_.”

“He’s drop dead gorgeous,” admitted Jinx.

“Yes, he is,” said Raven in a low voice. She had never thought of physical looks as the peak attraction to any person. It was far less important than the rest. But, when she noticed it, there was not one inch of Damian she would willingly change.

His lips took center stage in her mind again.

“He’s grown into an attractive young man,” commented Starfire. “It’s to be expected, he was born of probably Earth’s two most beautifully exotic people.” Raven didn’t miss when she glanced her way.

“There’s a lot more to him than beauty,” said Cassie, twirling the remaining contents in her mug. “He’s so good at everything…”

“He is the other half of the ‘super sons’,” said Traci conversationally.

Raven paused. “The what?”

“Super Sons,” said Traci again. Everyone was casting her a disbelieving or confused look. “You know… what those gossip columns call them? Superboy, the son of Superman. Robin, the prodigy of Batman? There’s like an internet poll who will be the more attractive duo, them or their mentors.”

Cassie laughed and Donna groaned. “Oh. _Great._ This is exactly what he needs to boost his ego.”

Traci smiled. They carried on that particular conversation a while more, Jinx not saying anything much other some unintelligible grumbles when it came to Garfield, Donna attempting to thwart any talk of Conner’s interests altogether, and Kori simply smiling with favorable inputs. Raven rose when her mug was finished and left to the kitchen. Before she returned, she felt a pang of unbelievable nervousness from down a hall. She followed it, confused to as if she should worry or not, when she stopped in the doorway to one of the other media rooms. All the boys were gathered. Jaime stood in front of Damian, who looked as curious as Raven felt. Dick, Wallace, Garfield, and Conner stood to the side of them, watching with sly smiles.

“It’s nothing like that at all,” responded Jaime to something Raven hadn’t heard, “I just… needed to run this by you before tonight.” He dug into his pocket as Raven stepped forward and pulled out a small ring, the middle diamond glistening in the sun’s rays.

“It caught my eye that morning and I pulled it from a pile before your guy took everything,” explained Jaime. His expression was wary. “It seemed like everything that was there had a story. I just wanted your… input if this was okay. I want to ask Traci to marry me.”

Raven’s mouth opened in surprise as she watched Damian, who was inspecting the ring curiously. Raven could tell he had no idea what it was.

His gaze raised back to Jaime, and there was a rare playful light in his eyes.

“All that treasure there and you grab her the smallest ring you could find?”

There was a roar of laughter, Raven and Jaime embarrassingly among them. _“Dios mio, hermano!_ You’re even cruel when you’re joking!”

There was an uptick at the corner of Damian’s mouth. “It _is_ the highest quality of stone that can be found however. If she’s pious to diamonds like most women are, you’ve chosen well.”

Jaime grinned. “Thanks man.”

Damian nodded back to him before his eyes flicked to Raven. Their eyes held again nicely just like the night before as the others clapped Jaime on the back, wishing him luck.

The holidays truly were a magical time.

~

Two days later came the news that riveted the world.

Raven was speeding along the hallways as the lights in Titans Tower were on far earlier than what they were most mornings. Dawn had yet to touch the horizon.

Had she heard Kori right over the communicator? The chances seemed astronomical…

She ran into Damian before they turned down the hallway that led to comms. He was already completely fitted into his Robin attire, seeming as if he’d been awake for hours rather than minutes.

“Is it true?” she asked, a little breathless.

His mouth was in a line. “I don’t know, but we need to find out. There’s no telling what it could mean if it is.”

Raven nodded. If there was really another…

They went briskly down the hall and turned into the main computer room. Kori and Dick were turned away from them, both gazing hard at the main monitor that held a breaking headline courtesy of the Daily Planet.

KRYPTONIAN FOUND

“It’s true?” asked Damian incredulously. The person headlining the story was Lois Lane, so there would be validity to it. Raven knew Damian would be thinking of the possibilities.

The older couple turned to them. Dick’s mouth was in a hard line like his brother’s, not yet in his Nightwing suit.

“Conner left minutes ago,” he said seriously. “Superman called him and told him to go immediately. Less than six hours ago, the Watchtower detected an anomaly that seemed to be leaving the sun’s orbit by itself, suggesting it had means of propelling itself away of the gravity. A sentient-made device or possibly even a life force. Batman sent J’onn J’onzz and Green Lantern to investigate. What they found was a pod carrying a person that bore Superman’s family’s crest.”

“Another Kryptonian,” Raven wondered. “How?”

“And they just brought it back?” demanded Damian. Raven could feel his impatience. “Another Kryptonian-“

“Doesn’t have to be an enemy,” cut off Dick. His eyes narrowed at his brother’s assumption, but Raven felt his own caution as well.

“It doesn’t have to be a friend.”

Starfire chimed in. “Whoever they are, they’re just as alone in this universe as Kal-el is. They even bear his family’s symbol. Why would they turn against the last family they have left?”

“What allegiance do they owe them?” Damian countered. “We saw what an entity with Kryptonian level strength can do when unchecked. It nearly cost the world everything and Superman proved they can’t die.”

“Damian,” said Raven, attempting to cut off this mood, “the last thing we need to do is treat whoever it is with hostility.”

“Raven’s right,” agreed Dick. Damian’s eyes narrowed through his mask. “Let them team know we’ll be investigating another matter entirely. There are various signals of high energy emitting from across the continent. Batman and Batgirl are investigating one near Gotham. Flash is at another with Hawkman at the edge of Canada. But the largest surge came from right here near Jump City.”

“Do we have any idea what’s causing them?” asked Raven.

“No clue.” And Dick looked grimmer. “But we leave in ten minutes.”

~

Raven opened a portal for them to step through.

It was empty, dry land, south of Jump City, not fifty miles from where they cut off H.I.V.E’s attempted ambush. Hills sprawled in the distance, but there was nothing more to the view other than that.

“Why are we here?” Garfield wondered out loud.

“This can’t be right,” muttered Dick, looking at a tracking device in his hand.

“Are we in the right spot?” asked Starfire. She held a glowing green hand out for extra light. Dawn was just beginning to break over the hills.

“Yes,” confirmed Dick. “It says we’re less than thirty feet away.” The Titans looked skeptically at the nothing around them.

Suddenly Blue Beetle’s back grew a sort of shoulder scope and appeared to inquire at something directly in front of them.

“Guys, the Scarab’s got something,” said Jaime, peering in the same direction.

Damian stepped forward. “If Batman’s technology and the Beetle both say something’s there, something’s there.” Without any further discussion, he unclipped a throw-able from his belt and flung it forward with a sidearm.

They watched as it seemingly hit an invisible wall and exploded.

“Gotcha,” smirked Damian in satisfaction.

A dome of invisibility appeared to come down as lightning flickered all around it. The Titans readied themselves for a possibility, Damian and Wallace eagerly so.

What they got instead was quite odd.

Two humanoid entities, obviously tall and slender, bald with pink skin, very pointy ears, and dressed with indigo robes were kneeling in front of a machine with their hands raised in surrender, facing the Titans.

“Please,” one said, “do not hurt us. We mean you no harm. We are sorry.”

The Titans glanced among themselves with bizarre faces, but did not relax their stances.

After a long look with Nightwing, Starfire, the leader and an alien herself, stepped forward, evaporating the green light from her hands.

“Who are you?” she asked, hostility free from her voice. “Why are you here?”

“Hiding,” the second whispered. “Please, we are sorry… we will be on our way soon.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy,” said Starfire grimly. “We need answers.”

“You are protectors,” the first said. Their eyes dropped. “But we are now trying to protect you. And ourselves.”

“Way to say everything and nothing at the same time,” muttered Garfield wryly. Jaime elbowed him.

“From what, exactly?” demanded Starfire as Dick put a hand up to his ear. His expression immediately changed and Raven felt his alertness. “Starfire- Batman and Flash were each under fire! But whatever attacked them took off. Be on our guard.”

“Them,” said the alien gravely. Damian all but snarled as the Titan’s braced, glancing every which way for an enemy. But Raven felt no antagonism from the two beings in front of them.

“Explain yourselves,” demanded Kori more fiercely. She raised a hand, glowing green again. “Thoroughly. Hurry.”

“We are fleeing,” said the second one, and Raven felt the desperation, “my partner and I. We need to transport the Absolute, but we needed to rest. This planet is good. We did not know we were being tracked, please.”

“What is that?” Damian growled. The silver machine behind them had an aura about it.

“The Absolute,” the alien repeated. “Please, I beseech you, let us be on our way.”

“Something has just attacked our friends,” yelled Blue Beetle. “If those are more buddies of yours, you’re not going anywhere!”

“You said something was tracking you,” Nightwing remembered.

“We do not know what he is,” said the first, “but it seeks the Absolute.”

Raven and Damian exchanged a glance.

“What exactly is that thing?” asked Garfield.

“The Absolute.”

Garfield groaned loudly. The second entity answered more thoroughly.

“The Absolute is the machine of total willpower. It has the capability of reforming reality totally to the user’s every thought.”

Raven was stumped with the rest of them shortly. Damian was the quickest to recover.

“Impossible.”

The alien’s didn’t look offended in the slightest. Simply pleading.

“Please. Let us go. We need to move it to safety. And we are hunted.”

Nightwing spoke slowly after sharing another look with Starfire. “If that thing is as powerful as you say… couldn’t you just use it to destroy whoever’s hunting you?”

Both aliens shook their heads. “We cannot. The power it requires during usage can potentially kill the user.”

Raven felt Damian’s intrigue. She glanced at him. His sword was still raised threateningly, but his eyes were now on the silver machine behind them.

“Rewrites reality huh…” Garfield mused. “So, it’s like some kind of… _Miracle Machine_.”

The aliens looked at him in disbelief.

Raven felt their approach before they ever saw them. But they were coming in fast.

“To the right!” she yelled, reading her magic again. Over the hills, highlighted in the dawn’s lawn to the east, several black dots in the sky approached.

“The tracker,” one of the alien gasped. “It must not touch the machine. None may be allowed to leave and report back to its core mind!”

“You’re not making any sense,” complained Beetle, but he looked ready for a fight. The figures each landed with a crash that cracked the ground at their feet.

They were tall cybernetic beings, tinged with blue and purple with horrific green skulls as heads. Three glowing purple circles with a line connecting them were on each of their foreheads.

They approached without a word, hands forward.

“Titans, go!” yelled Starfire.

Wallace began tagging them, but their bodies held up well against Kid Flash’s assault. Though they were soon bombarded with Jinx’s and Raven’s magic, and Starfire’s and Blue Beetle’s blasters as Garfield mauled one as an African Lion. Donna sent a diving kick at one as Cassie tackled another.

Nightwing turned to the aliens. “Go!” he roared. “These things aren’t after us. We’ll take them down while they’re distracted. You two get out of here with that thing.”

The nodded quickly and made to get up, but two more of the androids popped out from underneath the ground, right next to the machine.

“Shit!”

Raven used her magic to break one in half, green liquid and shredding metal filling the air. She turned towards them, but Damian and Nightwing were already engaged. She couldn’t get a clear shot.

Robin dodged a swipe from one of the androids with ease, but his katana bounced off their metal plated chests. His mouth was a grim line as he thought of his next approach.

He turned towards the machine, thinking hard.

Raven panicked. “Damian!” she yelled as he flipped straight next to it, despite the protests of both Nightwing and the horrified aliens.

White light engulfed both him and the Absolute machine. The very next moment, the Titans were fighting nothing at all. The cybernetic enemies simply ceased to exist.

But Damian was on the ground, unconscious.

Nightwing yelled in a way Raven had never heard before. Insanity split across her mind as she flew to him, and she heard her father’s voice loud in her ears.

She landed next to Robin and Nightwing, who was dragging his brother way from the machine. The aliens watched the duo in fear. Raven’s hand had to clasp her forehead to physically repel her father’s cries, but she was just aware enough to hear Nightwing.

“He’s alive,” he croaked, “but his vitals aren’t good.” He looked to Raven. “Can you-?”

Rave reached her free hand out to Robin, trying to focus. But it was no use. She couldn’t until she got a handle on this.

“Not now,” she said as the others landed near them, “I have to get a handle on my father. I need to meditate first.”

“Let’s get him back to the tower,” said Starfire in concern. She threw a worried look to Nightwing who looked stony.

_Dis mio,_ ” muttered Jaime. Worry was on each of the Titan’s faces.

Raven looked down at Damian. If she hadn’t been able to tell his life force was nearly faded, one would’ve assumed he was merely sleeping restfully.

“Let’s go,” said Nightwing. He turned his shoulders towards the aliens who had still not named themselves. “ _Leave_. And take this thing with you.”

They nodded. Raven needed a minute to conjure a portal to take them all back to the tower. Before stepping through, they witnessed the aliens raise their hands to the omnipotent-like device and vanish in a pale pink light, as if teleporting away.

~

They laid Damian down in the medical bay moments after arriving. Raven knew she needed to head to her room despite her want of staying with him as they hooked him to an I.V.

“I’ll call Batman,” said Kori after a moment, but Nightwing shook his head.

“No, I’ll do it,” he said, looking down at his brother. “It’s a hell of a quick story.”

“What a day,” said Donna warily. The rest of the team was easing after the battle in the common area. Nightwing looked to Raven.

“Will you be okay?” he asked. “Is your father-“

“I’ll be fine,” she told him firmly. She could still hear her father’s curses. “I just need to meditate. It was high stress. I’ll be back down in a few hours. Keep him steady until then.”

Nightwing and Kori nodded as Raven left. It was already much easier to focus. But she needed to be positive he was well-caged before she tried healing Damian to that extent.

The essence in her room eased her mind. Purple aura surrounded her form and she levitated, focusing on the banishment of her father, his retreating voice that could no longer affect her…

Damian’s life. His life force. She began focusing solely on that. It calmed her. It helped her keep everything under better control.

She would be able to head down sooner than she thought.

And then-

There was a pulsating light emitting from the darkness of her room. Raven opened her eyes. It was coming from her bed-stand.

Her mouth opened as she saw it, stunned. Pulsating, almost ringing. The red light calling to her.

She lifted the familiar object in her hand.

That’s not possible, she thought…

She waited several long moments, eventually trying to feel some magical disturbance that was setting it off, but coming away with nothing.

She swallowed hard. Breathing unevenly, she raised a shaking hand and created a portal.

~

“Two days.”

“I know, Dick.”

“No one’s heard from her?”

“No, Batman. But every member of the team is out looking for her.”

“That’s a waste of time. She obviously left on her own. There’s not an entity alive that could’ve taken Raven without so much of a fuss against her will.”

“I think you’re right Conner. But we _need her. Now._ ”

“I understand, Nightwing.”

Damian’s head felt incredibly woozy. There was a numbness to his entire body. But he knew from those irritated voices that he wasn’t on the other side quite yet.

He opened his eyes and blinked rapidly in a groggy state, momentarily blinded by the light.

_“Look!”_

Starfire’s voice caused a shuffled reaction. When Damian managed to focus, he was looking up at the faces of Batman and Nightwing next to him, Starfire and Superboy at the foot of his bed.

Nightwing huffed. “Welcome back to the world of the living.” He sounded relieved.

“Your medical diagnosis needs work if you think I’ve been dead this entire time, Grayson,” Damian replied weakly. Nightwing snorted.

“Well, he’s clearly okay…”

His father was staring down at him. “The League has been well informed of what transpired. We dealt with similar enemies. You’ve been out for two days.”

“I caught that,” mumbled Damian. His head was pounding still. He couldn’t yet feel his limbs.

“Why did you use that machine?” Nightwing said. “We could have handled it.”

Daman took a long moment to answer. He had to think of it first and then needed the energy to speak.

“It was… too good an opportunity to pass.”

Nightwing’s head tilted. “I knew it. You used it to wish for something else as well. What was it?”

Damian closed his eyes again. “Tell me when it comes true,” he said.

“He still needs rest,” he heard Batman say. “Everyone-“ he stopped as the door to the medical bay slid open.

Starfire gasped. _“Raven!”_

Damian had just enough energy and will to open his eyes again. She stood there in the doorway, her hood up, amethyst eyes on him.

“We thought something happened to you,” said Starfire, heavy relief in her tone. “Where have you been?”

“I got pulled away,” said Raven, not taking her eyes off Damian. He didn’t know if he had the strength to keep looking back. “I’ll talk about it after. Let me heal Damian first.”

The others shifted from foot to foot, off guard by her sudden reappearance and demeanor.

“I’ll need some space,” Raven said pointedly.

Batman and the others regarded her for a moment, but left without another word. Nightwing and Starfire both trying to exchange looks with her, but her gaze never inched away from Damian. When they were gone, she waved a hand and the other medical supplies surrounding him retracted and were moved away.

“I didn’t realize you were a Force wielder,” Damian mused under his breath. Raven sat on the edge of his bed and placed a hand on his chest.

“Shut up and stay still,” she mumbled. Damian didn’t have the strength for the laugh.

He wanted to ask how much was he going to see. He was in far worse conditions than the other day when they were last here alone together. But, without visions and blackness, his body regained strength. His breathy became steady. Raven pulled her hand back as Damian sat up, feeling as well as if he’d just woke up from a short nap.

“Healing will be easier for me now,” Raven said, still staring at him.

Robin thought he knew why. “Did it work?”

Raven was silent for a moment. Then she pulled her hood down and Damian saw her face clearly. Trigon’s shard was absent from her forehead.

“You saved Azarath,” Raven whispered. “My mother is alive. My people.”

Damian swallowed and nodded. “So it worked.”

Raven placed her hand over his and leaned in closer, her eyes heartbreakingly soft.

“Damian…”

He leaned in closer with her, closing his eyes the moment before their lips met. Loving the taste. Relishing how perfect they fit together.

He had always felt so complete with himself. How had he never not known he was simply a half of the whole. Raven was as much a part of him as he was himself.

And they were together now. All was well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I'm curious as to what are some of your favorite DamiRae stories. I need some new reading material myself. My favs, if you'd like to read, are Feudal AU by Anjay, Shadow and Thorns by Lavender Teacups, and The Shadow by ForeverBattles. All fantastic reads!


	10. Azarath

His father was the only one not to have adopted a look of surprise on his face when the others reentered the room. Damian supposed he _was_ surprised, but his method of processing information and analyzing it with control as Batman for all these years must’ve rendered something like this as a neophyte detail.

The others- Conner, Starfire, and Grayson- shared identical startled expressions when the saw Raven’s hand firmly grasping Damian’s. Then their faces slowly corresponded into smirks: first Grayson’s, then Kori’s, and eventually (after glancing rapidly back and forth between the duo with something akin to aggravation) Conner’s.

Batman paused. And then, without further ado, he said-

“Where is Trigon’s shard?”

“In Azarath,” said Raven. She squeezed Damian’s hand harder.

“Azarath?” gasped Kori. Grayson’s mind worked it over nearly as quickly as Batman’s, and he looked to his brother.

“Azarath,” he said, but in a different tone this Kori’s, “that’s what you used the Miracle Machine for.”

“Obviously,” said Damian crossly. Raven nudged him.

“You mean… your old home is restored?” asked Kori, looking at Raven in wide-eyed wonder. “The entire realm? Your people? Your-“

“Mother,” confirmed Raven. Damian wasn’t an empath, but he could almost feel her radiating. She seemed to be glowing.

She looked to his father. “We can go, if you’d like. Azarath welcomes all visitors. You can see the shard’s security for yourself.”

His father deliberated for a moment, then nodded.

Raven smiled. She turned sideways to Damian, their faces almost touching, but, at the moment, neither really cared if it made the others uncomfortable or not. They were still basking.

“Ready to meet… my people?” she asked unsurely. Damian smiled confidently for her and her face lifted further. He was pleased to see her eyes satiated.

“ _Well_ ,” said Nightwing, looking lighthearted, “we called the team while you two were in here. They’ve been out for the last day looking for you. After you never came down from meditating-“

“I’m sorry,” said Raven quickly, “I should’ve sent a signal-“ but Grayson was already waving her off.

“Needless to say, it’s understandable now,” he told her firmly, “but would you be okay with waiting so the team can go? Or would you rather now overwhelm them at the moment…”

“No, it’s fine,” said Raven, “if they decide to, they can come.”

“Great,” said Nightwing. Damian was trying to ignore the wide smile Kori was giving as she looked back and forth between him and Raven.

“Man, I can’t go,” said Conner sourly. “I told dad I’d be back at the Hall to help him out with everything.”

It took Damian a second to sort through the files of his recent memory. Then it flashed in his mind with urgency.

“The Kryptonian,” he said. He switched his gaze from Conner to his father. “What’s happened? Who is it?”

“The Kryptonian found is an older cousin of Superman’s,” his father answered. “She’s being debriefed of what transpired on Krypton and-“

“What we’re _trying_ to do,” Conner boldly cut across Batman, “is get her to be relax and calm as possible. She just woke up on a new planet and her baby cousin is her father’s age. She still wasn’t even used to her own strength when I left them last night.”

“How long did it take you to adjust?” asked Raven.

“It’s different,” Conner gestured to himself, “this is what I’ve always been. I’ve never known a different life. After a small lifetime of normalcy, she woke up a god.”

“That’s pushing it, Kent,” said Damian dryly. Conner snorted.

“We’ll meet her in due time,” said Nightwing. “Superman would like for us to. He wants her around others her age who can relate.”

“How old is she?” asked Damian.

“Thirteen,” said Batman. “She was sent to Earth to be Superman’s guardian, but the pod she was in blasted off course and was caught in the sun’s orbit. We still don’t know if the attack the other morning triggered her pod’s functions… or vice versa.”

Damian’s mouth smashed in a hard line. He knew Conner and Raven were both being vigilant of him right now.

“There’s little reason for her to be an antagonist,” mused Starfire. Her green eyes glittered at Damian, who, though feeling unsatisfied, shrugged and nodded.

Conner looked up at the ceiling. “Donna and Cassie are back,” he told them. “I guess the rest of the team isn’t too far behind.”

Raven maneuvered her hand until their fingers were interlocked. “Ready to go to Azarath?” she smiled.

~

It was, however, another two hours before the rest of the Titans arrived. Batman was unimpressed as Garfield trickled in barely soaring as a pigeon and Raven was feeling antsy by Damian’s side. She whispered to him that she had told her mother she was going to try to return within the hour when she left to come back.

When they were all accounted for, and after Raven’s more and more hastened explanations, she stood out in front of them and opened a portal.

She glanced back at them all, catching Damian’s eye.

“I should have mentioned before, Azarath is not a place for masks,” she said. “The people do not hide their eyes, nor expect their visitors to either.” She looked to Damian pointedly again, who took the initiative and removed his Robin mask. Grayson followed suit and after a moment his father pulled back his cowl, revealing the face of Bruce Wayne. A Damian that was not quite three times the age, with a lighter complexion, and deep royal blue eyes instead of emerald green.

Raven nodded, meeting Damian’s eyes again, before turning and walking through her portal. Damian was unhesitant as he followed behind her.

He stepped onto a white marble platform and gazed upon Azarath.

He hadn’t read a fantasy novel yet that exuded this kind of serenity. As his father and the Titans appeared behind him, they were standing on a cliff where behind them was a bay of crystallin blue water that rested harmoniously. The cool air breeze coming off of it made it feel similar to how it was in Jump City just now. Before them was a lane of white marble, white buildings topped with gold sparsely set out on either side before the land erupted into rolling hills. It was obvious the people of Azarath would not disrupt the natural layout of the land, dig through hills and the like, to build their city. They saw a few dozen people, all in white hooded robes, in the distance. They stood in circles talking, or sitting in a group of two or three, peacefully reading. But three figures stood immediately before them, two hooded, but the tall one on the left had out her long violet hair and eyes. She was staring at Raven with a sort of wide-eyed reverence. She stepped forward before the other two.

“You came back,” she said to Raven in almost a hushed amazement.

Raven stepped towards her. “I told you I would,” she said earnestly. “My friends needed me. I’m sorry I took so long.”

“Lady Raven,” the white robbed person next to Raven’s mother said softly. They all gave her their attention. “Welcome back to Azarath, my child. But we have newcomers?”

Raven’s head straightened and she turned towards Damian and the others. “Lady Azar,” she said, “this is my family from Earth. The Teen Titans and Batman of the Justice League I spoke of.”

“It is an honor to be here,” Starfire said cordially. She gave a half bow, and the others followed suit. Damian kept his hands folded behind his back. Raven’s mother slipped her eyes from Starfire to him.

“A thousand welcomes to you all,” said Lady Azar gently still. She appraised the group with a kind smile. “So much power within you all… Lady Raven said she would return with others, but I did not think so many.”

Raven looked as if she regretted her thoughtlessness. She bowed her head somberly. “Forgive my intrusion, Lady Azar. I acted to come back rashly- but I trust them all with my life.”

The elder lady merely chuckled. “All are welcome to Azarath, my child. One is only not a friend when they are a foe.” She stepped forward, Raven’s mother and the other white robbed person walked systematically with her, until she stood before Raven. Damian could see the longing in Raven’s mother’s eyes as she looked at her daughter.

“The Justice League of Earth wanted to check on my father’s imprisonment,” said Raven. “I… I also wanted to show my friends my past home.”

“And they are welcome to explore as long as they wish,” said Lady Azarath. Her eyes glided from Jinx and Garfield to Cassie and Donna to Starfire and Grayson to Batman. “You are a member of the team that halted Trigon in your own realm?”

His father tilted his head, his face more soothing than Damian had seen it in a while. “Raven must have spoken charitably of us, my lady. I was unconscious during his assault and the rest of my team only delayed him. If it were not for Raven, we would not have a realm left.”

At least he’s giving credit where it’s due, thought Damian. He hadn’t noticed that Lady Azar’s eyes had moved on to him.

“And I am told,” she began, “that if it were not for _this_ young man, Azarath would not be as it is now.”

Damian remained focused as all present turned their eyes on him. “It was not of my own power, Lady Azar,” he said directly to her, “simply a thought.”

Lazy Azar’s eyes were twinkling underneath her hood as she smiled warmly. “And is it not, as it is said on Earth, the thought that counts? So many things you could have thought in that small moment that Lady Raven described… a boy, robbed of a childhood that was replaced with a battlefield… but you wished for your friend’s safety and the restoration of a people you had never met. Without knowing you would make it out alive to see their gratitude.” Lady Azar appraised him for a moment as Damian tried to avoid the eye contact of his friends and father. “We are eternally indebted to you, Damian Wayne.”

Damian could think of nothing to say. He thought it wouldn’t be taken well if disregarded what she said by saying there was no balance between them, so he simply gave her a respectfully curt nod. She kindly lifted her eyes from him to his father again.

“We are holding Trigon near,” she said to them. “Come. You may see, but we ask you not to get to close. The barriers are dangerous.”

She turned and began walking briskly down the white path, Raven’s mother and the other one at her side constantly. Raven looked divided. She seemed to want to walk both next to her mother and Damian. After half a second of deliberation, and casting a glance at Cassie who drew level with Damian, she held her hand out and he took it unquestioningly as they walked in a group.

“This place is amazing,” said Garfield, looking around.

“It’s beauty almost rivals Themyscira,” said Donna, biasedly.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Starfire. They passed some of Raven’s people, who paused and bowed to Lady Azar, and then unexpectedly paused again and bowed to them. They returned their gesture, Jinx nudging Garfield as he simply waved.

Damian looked to the right as one meditated in the shade of a tree. Their form was perfectly identical to Raven’s. A few others they were passing watched her as much as they watched the apparent leader, Lady Azar.

There was a large, golden eagle-like bird perched upon the second building on the right that they came up to. Damian, Raven, and the other’s followed Lady Azar up the steps and between the tall white pillars. There were no doors; just a wide entry way.

It was a colorful display. Trigon’s shard floated in the middle of the room, levitating at the height of two adults, with an orbit of several more shards in various colors surrounding it. This was then surrounded by a pinkish, nearly-transparent sphere that obviously acted as an additional barrier. On the ground after this were several monks of Azarath, standing in a wide circle with essence candles between them, clasping their hands with their heads bowed. They did not look up or give any indication at all that that they knew they had visitors.

Lady Azar waited for them all to draw level with her before she spoke up. She kept her eyes on Trigon’s prison.

“It became apparent that holding her father prisoner was costing Lady Raven,” she said, “as only hours after her arrival she clasped her head several times… we removed the burden. It was my grandmother, Lady Azar the First, the woman who started this realm, who was responsible for Trigon’s existence in the first place. She exorcised the demons of the people who came to call Azarath home, and thus Trigon was born of its excrements. My grandmother never dreamed that humanity would one day come to possess the means of summoning Trigon in any form to Earth. How such an incantation came to be, we still do not know… But we will from now on do what we can to prevent the reoccurrence.”

“Magic bound by magic by magic,” said Raven’s mother. She looked from her daughter to Batman. “Each shard is as powerful and as sacred as the one Raven trapped her father in. They will repel any wisps of the demon’s attempts to break free. The barrier produced by our people is simply another powerful precaution in case the unthinkable happens.”

“It couldn’t be in safer hands,” commended Nightwing. Raven’s mother smiled at him.

Jinx hunched over. She was resting her fingertips on the side of her head. Garfield placed a hand on her back, looking concerned.

“Unh. This place is making me feel woozy,” muttered Jinx. “Excuse me, I’m gonna go wait outside.” She turned away, a hard grimace on her face. Kori looked at Donna. “Can you-“

“I’ll go with her,” Garfield cut off. He kept an arm around Jinx’s shoulders as they made their way out. Damian could just make out the top of their heads as they sat at the bottom of the stairs outside.

Batman looked studious. His royal blue eyes met the whites of Lady Azar.

“We’ve seen what Trigon can do.”

“Do not forget that so have we, my young friend.”

Damian’s father gave a small nod, the doubt erasing from his eyes. He turned to Raven, the corner of his mouth twisting up the slightest as she held onto Damian’s hand a little bit harder.

“We can’t be away too much longer,” he said. “There is much to do back on Earth…”

“Come on Bruce,” said Grayson, “the Batgirls have got Gotham for now. We can stay for a little bit longer. If that’s okay, of course.” He added hurriedly, looking to Raven’s mother and Lady Azar. They both smiled.

“Nothing would make us happier,” answered Lady Azar. She turned to Raven’s mom. “Lady Arella,” she said, “I believe the least we can do is treat them to a meal before these young heroes are on their way. Please let Sir Juris know a lunch should be prepared.” She turned to the rest of them. “If you would follow me to the Sanctum of Coman,” she said, gesturing out of the building to them. When they followed her down the stairs, regrouping with Garfield and an even paler Jinx, Raven tugged Damian’s hand to halt him. Meeting her eyes curiously, she gestured sideways to her mother whom was about to take off the other way.

Raven’s amethyst eyes seemed to be trying to convey a message. Damian’s switched to Arella, who stood some feet behind Raven, and back again.

_Oh._

Raven let go of his hand and turned towards her mother, walking forward and stepping slightly to the side. Damian followed a couple steps behind her. “Mother,” she said, “this is Damian. He’s… We’re together.”

Arella’s eyes shone the exact way Raven’s did on rare occasions. Damian hadn’t quite expected for them to be so similar.

“My lady,” said Damian. Her eyebrows raised even higher as she took in a good look of him in an appraising sort of way. He hadn’t realized until now how tall she was. She must’ve been at least Grayson’s height.

“It is marvelous to meet you, Damian,” she said. She smiled warmly. “I’ve heard so much about you these past two days.” Then her face turned much more sincere. “Thank you so much. For what you’ve done.”

Damian nodded. “A trillion-to-one opportunity landed in our lap. I couldn’t let that go to waste.” He cleared his throat. “Raven has told us a lot about Azarath. I can’t think of a land or a people more deserving of another chance.”

Arella’s eyes were twinkling and Raven was glowing. Damian couldn’t help but smile back at them.

~

Every inch of Azarath was a fantasy art piece come to life.

Lunch mainly consisted of baked fish freshly caught and plenty of plants and was held at a long wooden table with a clifftop view that overlooked an archipelago. Emerald skies and crystal blue waters gave everything a magical feel. The air smelled of gossamer.

“You have an astute apprehension of mystic arts,” Lady Azarath said to Batman. “Even more so than most who wield it. Have you ever thought of being a conjurer?”

Batman sipped his crystal clear water. “No, my lady. It’s my job back on Earth to know what can be possible as a threat. I’ve studied the ways through my colleague Zatanna.”

On the other end of the table, Starfire was behaving even more saccharinely than normal as she spoke with Arella, Raven, and the others. She would often glance out to the people of Azarath with a softer expression. Damian thought she must have been recalling her own past home as she watched Raven reunite with her old people. Grayson, too, must have noticed this, as he would pull her out of her reverie every time with a question or a joke.

The time came when it was the moment for them to return to Earth. Arella and Lady Azar walked with them back to the spot the first stepped foot into this realm. Before departing, Raven turned somberly back to her mother.

“I’ll come back,” she said, “often.”

Arella nodded, but still looked very sad. Lady Azar placed a hand gently on her arm.

“Do not be woeful she leaves, my child,” she said, “be content we now have the opportunity to see her again.”

Arella took in Lady Azar’s wisdom, but still only looked fractionally less dejected. Reluctantly, Raven turned away and lifted a hand, conjuring a wide portal from nothing. The Titans, following Starfire and Batman’s example, bowed to them both before stepping through. Damian caught the eye of both Arella and Lady Azar before leaving. Arella’s relayed an easily understandable word of thanks. Lady Azar’s, however, exuded a different feeling entirely. Though nothing like the amethysts Raven possessed, Lady Azar’s pale white eyes seemed to have the parallel power of surveying more than just one’s body when she looked hard enough, just like her. Damian felt as if his soul and mind was being searched under her gaze. He nodded and turned swiftly, walking crisply through the portal.

He stepped back into the Titan’s common room, rejoining his team, Raven only a second behind him. It was quiet for a moment.

“That was incredible, Raven,” said Starfire, in almost a whisper.

“It really was,” said Cassie, “your people’s way of life is beautiful!”

“Thank you,” said Raven, staring at the floor. She seemed vacant for a moment before lifting her gaze and meeting Damian’s. Her eyes mellowed.

“There’s much to do in Gotham,” said Batman out loud, though he only spoke directly to Nightwing. “Keep an eye on your communicator. Superman could call upon the Titans soon.”

“Is Conner coming back soon?” asked Donna curiously. “I mean, you know, with the new… Supergirl?”

Batman raised an eyebrow at her coined term, but didn’t rebuff it. “I don’t know about Superman’s boy, but I doubt the girl will be leaving his side anytime soon. He may just call for a few to meet her there in Metropolis.” He looked to Kori and Dick, who both nodded. He turned his gaze over to Damian and Raven.

“I’ll see you at the holidays,” he said. Damian couldn’t tell if he was talking to both of them or not. “Diana is as antsy as Alfred for a proper family meal.”

“ _Ooo-oo-ooh yeah_ ,” chuckled Nightwing, “we’ve got a lot to talk about on that one.” Batman grimaced at his grin and turned, leaving without another word, but his eldest wasn’t finished yet.

“If you two get married, will you, like, be the king of the gods someday?”

Damian scoffed as the others laughed. Kori shook her head in amusement as she led him away, taking his hand. The rest of the Titans began to disperse as well, most of them talking about Azarath, stating how cool the place had been.

“Did any of you see that whale in the distance while we ate? Tell me you saw the whale! That thing was like glowing!”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the only one that saw any whale, Wallace,” said Donna, smirking knowingly.

“That place had way too much pure energy,” said Jinx. She was hugging herself as if she were recovering from freezing. “I need to lie down…”

“I’ll go with you!”

“Shut it, Garfield…”

Damian felt her hand interlace with his. He turned his head. She was staring at him just as she was when she healed him earlier in the day.

“So what are you doing this evening?” she asked. Damian watched as her mouth twisted into a smile at the corner. He smiled back.

~

“How long anyways?”

Damian tilted his head towards her. He and Raven were sitting close together on the edge of the three-seater lounge sofa in the library. The palms of the hands were pressed together, feeling each other gently. His other arm was wrapped around her shoulders. They hadn’t been speaking much that night. It felt as if they were still just basking in their new found intimacy with each other.

“Hmm?”

Raven pressed her palm against his with slightly more pressure. She watched their hands instead of his eyes for once. “How long have you… felt this?”

Damian understood. He already knew the truth off the top of his head. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Longer than I was consciously aware. I’ve thought about it over and over again, and probably…” He sighed. “Probably since the carnival.” Her amethyst eyes shot to his.

“That was four years ago,” she stated.

Damian tensed. He recalled thinking about it, when he first realized what it was around a year ago. He just thought of how he had never felt about anyone that way. It was different from the trusted comradery of the rest of the Titans, or even Nightwing.

He eased and smiled delicately at her. “And you?”

Raven grinned, dropping her eyes to his chest, looking slightly embarrassed. “Likewise… you were in a lot of my thoughts. I just didn’t realize what it was.” Their hands shifted and he held her fingers gently. “And then Donna arrived, which started the girl talk.” Her eyes tightened.

Damian raised a brow quizzically. Raven sighed.

“You know how often she almost asked you out in that first year?” she said, her moth twisting down now. “She thought you were dropping hints in your own way with as often as you talked to her during training.”

Damian stared. “Because she was the second strongest member on the team. And the focus was a distraction from Terra and Slade.”

Raven nodded, smiling. “As I thought.” They studied their hands molded together for a second. Damian remembered the jealousy he had felt the past few years, often not recognizing the intense feeling in his head for what it was. Garfield’s change in tone when he spoke about Raven, or to her. Conner’s eyes raking her occasionally when she wasn’t looking. He sighed inwardly. He could never say anything. He had no right to it. And how could he have ever blamed them? What was good that she wasn’t..?

Raven glanced out of the tall windows into the darkness over the bay and swallowed. Her eyes went sideways back to Damian, and he thought he felt a nervousness or excitement about her.

“We should probably get going,” she said, still not facing him directly. “It’s getting late.”

Damian nodded and stood up with her. Duty could call at any moment and his father had warned to be on the alert. They walked closely together, hand-in-hand, up to the room level. She held his hand tighter as they stopped at her door.

Damian admired her for a moment before leaning in and brushing her lips for a second time. He doubted he would ever get over the feel of them. They broke away, but he kept his face only inches from hers. He felt lighter than he had been in a long time.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he promised. He almost made to turn around, but Raven gripped his hand tighter. She had a rather muddled look on her face.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked unsurely. Damian felt the surprise shift his face, but quickly regained it. He nodded earnestly, now feeling the same nervousness.

Raven pushed her door open and led him inside. Damian had never seen the inside of her room before.

It had the same build of his own, of course, with the far wall being entirely floor-to-ceiling glass window that looked out over the bay into the city lights of Jump City. But other than that, her room was much more personalized than his. There was a hairdresser pressed against the near wall with a large pentagon mirror above it, chandelier-like lights hanging from the ceiling that gave it a cool glow, a large rug in front of her bed that was a deeper purple than her cloak, and several stands with stochastic objects on top of them like a set of opera masks, a twisted black candle, and a silver handled hand-mirror. Displayed on the wall space next to the hairdresser was the Da Vinci painting he’d gifted her. He smiled when he saw it. She had a nightstand on only one side of her bed; on the other side was a small, fully stocked book shelf that held Raven’s private stash that she’d told him about.

Damian gazed around as Raven walked forward and sat on the edge of her bed. She looked at him expectantly. Damian tried not to show his nervousness as he joined her, sitting so close to her left side that their thighs touched. They gazed into each other’s eyes.

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” he commented softly. She disregarded this, moving her hand up to his face slowly, resting it lightly on his cheek and jawline. Her touch was so tender. He reached his arm across her shoulders and pulled her in ever closer. Her gaze was indescribable before she shut her eyes and closed the distance, kissing him again. It lasted longer this time, and was followed with another. Their lips moved fluidly together as she shifted her hand to the back of his neck, pulling him in more. He tasted her tongue, getting lost in his senses. Their lips became wetter each time they moved, becoming more comfortable, molding together like this.

They shifted again. Raven made a noise that temporarily made Damian lose all train of thought as he moved his arm to the inside of her cloak, wrapping it around her torso area. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck now, nearly pressing their chests together, seeming to relish their closeness.

Raven made the noise again and Damian leaned into her as she simultaneously pulled him in, laying her back down on her bed, Damian hovering over her.

He heard a crack.

Damian tilted his head upwards, bewilderment making him disoriented as it mixed with his lust. Raven simply moved her kisses down his jawline and to his neck. He liked that.

Another crack.

Damian threw his eyes sharply in the direction of the noise and gasped.

It flashed in thin strands, resembling lightning. Raven’s black magic, escaping her. There was a small crack in the wall beside them, above the book case, and another on the glass window.

“Raven,” he whispered urgently. She was busy haughtily kissing his neck, her hands running along his back beneath his cape.

Another crack. He didn’t see where this one took place.

“Raven, stop!”

“No,” she breathed.

“ _Raven!_ ”

Her eyes opened then, a sort of shock and horror look in them. He could tell for a moment she was afraid she was taking them to a point that he didn’t want to go yet. He met her eyes as she breathed deeply and gestured to the wall, lifting himself up off of her. Raven raised herself as well and stared at it. She turned to Damian slowly, stunned.

She swallowed hard. “I-I…”

Damian gripped her hand. “It’s okay,” he told her bracingly, “you lost control for a second. You’ve already pulled it back.”

She stared at him wordlessly. Damian realized she hadn’t thought of how she’d lose track of her emotions when engulfed with want. Her eyes looked both sad and lost.

She closed them, in pain at her current inability. “I-I can’t-“

Damian leaned in quickly. “Don’t say that, Raven. Yes, you can. It’ll just take… some practice.” It was the truth, but he couldn’t help but say it hopelessly. She looked entirely defeated for tonight. He reached an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in again, this time in pure comfort. She rested her hand against his chest and he rested his on top of hers. They rocked gently for a while and it did not feel like a settlement. They had each other’s company. What more could they have wanted than that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay of the second half. Work has been demanding lately. I should be able to post chapter eleven in the next day or so though. Please let me know if you enjoyed this! Comments are very much appreciated.


	11. Christmas At Wayne Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Please forgive my nine-day hiatus. I spent the first few debating on whether or not I should even do this- but I have.  
> I don't mind writing things that people don't like. The reception was pretty mixed for my previous chapter 11, but I liked it, so I was going to have it stay. However, taking a step back, I could 1000% see that it had nothing to do at all with a continuation of the DCAMU storyline that I've gone for here. That craziness should have been a solo shot elsewhere. So I've re-written it entirely. Please enjoy.  
> Love you guys. Hail Damirae.

Damian woke slowly. There was a lovely smell around him, but he felt that uncomfortable swelling in his arm that happened when it went to sleep after you’d slept on it wrong.

He opened his eyes and saw Raven lying close to him, resting peacefully, his arm tucked underneath her. They were both still in their uniforms, her slender arm laid over his chest. He hadn’t wanted to leave her alone last night. Not when she was feeling so down on herself.

Her shoulders shifted when he tried to pull his arm free. Her body rolled onto her back and she opened misty eyes, squinting upwards before finding Damian. She blinked rapidly, focusing.

“Hi,” she said. There was a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Damian thought she looked absolutely transcendent in the early morning light.

“Good morning,” he said back to her. He closed his eyes and stretched, shuddering slightly, afterwards lifting himself up to a sitting position. She followed suit.

“Do you think there’s training today?” she asked him. Damian considered. He hadn’t heard Kori or Grayson say anything. 

“It wouldn’t be an exorbitant demand,” he decided, “we pretty much had a relaxing day off in your homeland yesterday. But… I have a feeling it will be a lounge day. Especially with that,” he gestured out of the window where stormy clouds had begun to drift over Jump City, partially blocking the sunrise.

Raven hummed. Her eyes lingered on the crack in glass she had caused. She twisted more to see the damage on her wall. She didn’t frown, but there was a crinkle in her brow and a somber look in her eyes as she turned to Damian.

“I’m sorry,” she said before he could stop her, “I really wanted for us to… I-“

“You don’t have anything to apologize for.” Damian wanted to glance away, feeling embarrassed at the implication, but he forced himself to steadily meet her eyes, despite feeling warmth on his cheeks. “If anything, I’m… idyllic that you don’t have any previous training holding in those kinds of emotions.” He glanced down and spoke quieter, his throat a shade tighter. “I had never kissed anyone before. We didn’t have to try to rush into it.”

“Oh, good,” said Raven dryly, “you don’t count Rose.”

Damian snorted at her. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Have you met you?” smirked Raven. She leaned in without waiting for his reaction and pressed her lips chastely against his own. He felt self-conscious about it for the first time- clearly she did not suffer from morning breath the way he or most people did- but she was eager in smudging further into him and seemed reluctant to pull away. Smiling in that way that was all but unique to her, she stood up.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she said casually. His eyes lit up. “After, if we’re free today-“

“Anything you want,” said Damian. He stood and smiled with her. She walked over to her bathroom door, dropping her cloak from around her shoulders before she got there. Damian’s lips parted as his eyes trailed down her back in her leotard to her halfway covered bottom. He swallowed hard as she slid the door shut.

~

“I’m surprised the rest of the team isn’t flummoxed we’re together.”

Raven lifted her head to see Damian’s face. He was staring at the door quizzically, an eyebrow arched.

He dropped his gaze to Raven. “I didn’t think any of them, save perhaps Starfire, would have been insightful enough to have predicted us being together. But none of them even looked more than mildly surprised.”

Raven wiggled in his arms. They were enjoying a rare peaceful moment in the common area, relaxing on the sofa in front of the big screen as heavy rain beat against the windows. She was laying into his chest with his arms around her. Wallace had just zipped in, grabbing a board game from the cupboard and joking with them, before dashing out again saying Conner had agreed to play with him over lunch.

Damian noticed Raven couldn’t quite meet his eyes. He shifted back for a better look at her, and she sighed.

“I told them everything beforehand,” she admitted. “The team and your father.”

Damian stared at her, momentarily dumbfounded. “Why?”

Raven met his gaze. “That night when that _Wanna-be Al Ghul_ draped herself all over you. I reacted for a split second and wrecked half of the comms room.” Her eyes tightened.

Damian stared at her now in disbelief. “Grayson told me that a crash hit our systems when trying to hack into H.I.V.E files!”

Raven nodded softly. “To spare me. But my father spilled out from his restraints and I left the room before I could explain anything.”

Damian’s teeth clenched. “So they realized-?” But Raven was shaking her head.

“No,” she said, smiling with something like exasperated amusement, “they _thought_ I lost my cool from just seeing Rose naked.” Damian, a grin suddenly attempting to break free, was halted by Raven’s steely glare. “Do not say _anything_ … Well, your father came the next morning before we set out and was informed of everything, courtesy of Nightwing. They knew my father was threatening me to release him. I had to tell them what it was about.”

“Your life,” she clarified, seeing Damian’s expression. “Every time I lost my full concentration, he’d tell me to release him… or he’d kill you.” She ran her hand gently up his arm, comfortable with the confession. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. Truthfully, she felt she wanted him to know.

Damian thought about that. He was displeased Trigon used him as leverage over her… but Raven handled it. What was done was done, and she was as responsible and in control of it as anyone he could’ve known.

He raised his own hand and caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. She met his eyes and smiled. They leaned forward.

“You guys cool if we come in here and all watch a movie?” Nightwing’s voice came loudly, sounding beyond amused.

They both snapped around. He stood there, arms folded in a black long sleeve shirt, with a superiorly annoying smile on his face.

“How long have you been standing there, Grayson?” demanded Damian. Nightwing chuckled.

“About two minutes,” he said easily. “I came right after Wallace ran by.” He gestured to the pounding rain outside, ignoring Damian’s dismayed look. “Kori thinks a movie night would be cool. A little team bonding in the tower.”

“Something scary?” asked Raven, before her boyfriend could reply scathingly.

“We’ll vote on it,” grinned Dick.

~

It was an adequate day all in all, Damian thought. He and Grayson tuned into police scanners throughout it, but the lack of even ordinary crimes due to the bulleting rain proved that a patrol would be unnecessary. Between resting his legs and Raven’s head on his shoulder (he ignored a few sideways mystifying glares from Cassie), he endured a terrible rom-com that it seemed only Garfield, Grayson, and Kori particularly enjoyed.

As a majority of the team called it a night (Superboy had lingered behind in the kitchen for a late meal and Raven smiled at Donna as she trickled back as well), Raven wrapped her arms around Damian’s neck in front of her door. They pulled in for a long kiss goodnight.

But, akin to last night, Raven stopped him before her could turn around. Her eyes went from swooning to a little unsure as she held her arms around his neck.

“I was wondering,” she said, her face within a foot of his, “if you’d… like to stay the night again?”

Damian felt surprise, but it quickly changed into eagerness. “Are you sure?” he asked. Last night had been an occasion of a comforting nature. Raven nodded infinitesimally without breaking eye contact. Damian smiled.

“I’ll get something to change into,” he told her. Raven let go of her arms around him, watching him make his way down the hallway raptured before stepping into her room.

He came back, sliding her bedroom door close as Raven stepped out of her bathroom. He knew she caught how his eyes had popped initially. Raven wore cotton black pajama shorts which, thankfully like every casual attire piece she had, left the entirety of her legs revealed and a lacey, thin-strap black top that divulged an inviting amount of midriff. Her eyes roamed over Damian, who felt a little too overly clad in his long sleeved striped night clothes. He scratched his head.

Raven stepped timidly towards her bed. “You coming?”

Damian swallowed watching her and nodded. His eyes trailed down the back of her, ogling how wonderful she had the shorts fit, as she turned to get settled in, leaving him the side that was open to the floor-to-ceiling window. She saw up in bed and studied him back as he came closer. Her eyes dropped off to the side as he lifted the mink colored sheets to slip in.

“Could you,” she started off without looking at him, a pale pink across her cheeks, “sleep with your shirt off?”

Damian felt surprise lift his eyebrows again, but smirked. He unfastened the top button near his collar and simply pulled the rest apart with a few tugs and shifted his arms and shoulders out of it. He dropped it to the floor as Raven’s eyes lingered on his abdomen and went slowly up to his chest.

Damian refrained from grinning as he slipped into bed beside her. Wordlessly, they pulled close and their lips met. He wanted to roam her body with his hands, just as hers grazed along his, but focused on taking it slowly. A resolve that was none too helped out when Raven made a noise into his mouth.

Raven ran her hand from his back to his waistline and fiddled with the top of his sleep wear. At this, she pulled her head half an inch back.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her cool breath on Damian’s lips, “I need to focus.”

“Take your time, Raven,” he said. “We’re in no hurry.”

“You’re incredibly controlled about all of this,” said Raven. Her eyebrows knit together. “You do _want to,_ don’t you?”

Damian scoffed at the back of this throat and closed the space between them. The last thing he wanted was Raven to think he didn’t have desire for her, or was cravenly about it. Her arms wrapped around his neck just as last night as Damian moved almost on top of her, now making his own noise from the back of his throat.

Raven suddenly broke off, her amethyst eyes nearly shinning as she heaved a deep breath. “Okay… Why don’t we pick this up… tomorrow?”

Damian cocked his head sideways, a smirk on the edge of his lips. “Same time, same place?”

~

The next two weeks had been some of the most pleasant times Damian had ever had.

His relationship with Raven evolved quickly and tremendously. In the following morning after their second night together, he had rolled out of bed and had felt somewhat awkwardly when he needed to go back down the hall in his morning state to bathe and go through the hygienic process. This is when Raven had said, right before entering her own bathroom-

“Why don’t you just keep your toothbrush here?” She had looked away, perhaps from shyness or possibly for not wanting Damian to feel pressured. “You can leave a couple pairs of clothes, if you’d like.”

So that day, she had cleared out a drawer for him at her hair dresser. Damian got into the routine of leaving his Robin cape hanging on the coat hook near her bedroom door.

He went out patrolling days later with Nightwing, when the vicious storm finally cleared away. They patrolled the south side of Jump City, while Conner and Wallace covered the north, commonly running into thugs attempting break-ins while people tried to fix damages left by the flooding rainwater. It was almost a record night with how many arrests they made for the Jump City Police.

Damian asked Raven about the opera masks she had on a stand in her room that evening before bed. She told him she was a fan and had always wanted to attend one. Damian made a mental note of that. Jump City rarely ever saw such events, but Gotham’s Broadway district held several of them nightly.

Two days beyond this, he and Raven visited Azarath again. Her mother and Lady Azar welcomed them gladly. He, Raven, and Lady Arella talked and ate, this time in her own home. Arella didn’t have too many embarrassing stories to tell about Raven, other than she liked to spend her time in books and scrolls than with the other people (something Damian entirely related to), so they ended up talking much about their own pasts. Arella told Damian about her life on Earth pre-Trigon and pregnancy and there was a sadness in her features that she tried to control as Damian told her some about his. He knew Raven had already told her about him, but he surmised that she was under the impression that Damian had at least some fun in his earlier years.

He remembered climbing the mountain when he was six years old. Whatever they thought, that _was_ fun. He’d felt so alive.

That night Raven came out of the bathroom sans her lacey top. Jaw dropped, Damian couldn’t lift his eyes from the way her trimmed black bra held her breasts together. Nor could he stop his hands roaming over them as they kissed that night. Raven had become fond of kissing his neck as much as his lips and the team sniggered at the marks she had made.

Jaime came into the common room with fantastic news- Gabrielle’s Horn would be expanding into two or perhaps three more kitchens throughout the city following a monumental donation from the profits of a high end catalog sale from the Wayne Auction House. Raven’s hand gripped Damian’s tightly. He had seen the headline on his phone the previous night in bed that Edward had pulled through in advertising it well and landed a final amount of $3.2 billion.

Just over two weeks to go to Christmas, Donna shared some rather unanticipated news: Wonder Woman, who would be at Wayne Manor for the holiday, invited Cassie and herself. Christmas at the manor would now be the three of them, Grayson, Starfire, Raven, and Damian. Plus the two normal occupants.

Raven had smiled, but there was a guarded look in her eye that she did not elaborate on.

A few days later, when Damian was making his way towards the training area for the team’s routine practice, he came across a tricky situation. A couple of voices, one arguing in a manner, the other repentant.

“I wasn’t! I swear!”

“You _liar!_ I was watching you Gar, you were _staring_ at her ass the entire time she walked down the hallway.”

Damian very awkwardly rounded the corner and found Garfield, his body craning away in fear of Jinx, whose arms were folded, looking very cross. Garfield, teeth clenched, looked to Damian, perhaps hoping some outside force could save him from his current predicament.

“Hey Dame,” he said, still looking very worried for his life. Jinx merely glanced halfway in his direction, her snarling expression not wavering an inch.

Damian nodded to them. “We must all pay for our transgressions, Garfield,” he said, and was on his way, leaving Beast Boy to the mercy of the enraged pink-haired minx.

Garfield was in a very somber mood that training session, despite Jaime’s constant chain of jokes, and, even though she shot nasty glares at Donna when she wasn’t looking, Jinx performed the attack form they were practicing very well.

Raven’s lips parted as Damian came into the room just after she woke the next morning with breakfast and tea on a silver tray. He often awoke a while before she did, not able to stay in bed after dawn. This time, instead of training, he made her favorite Belgian waffles with seasonal syrup. Pouring rain outside yet again, it was a good morning for breakfast in bed.

And it being the season of miracles, two days before Christmas, a coming rain had miraculously turned to snow.

It was amusing to Damian how elated they all were. Though, to be fair, he grew up over encumbered with it. Beast Boy stuck his tongue out to catch a falling flake. Jinx merrily watched him, her arm wrapped around his.

It wasn’t enough to build up an ample layer on the ground for snowballs fights, but it did leave a wintery frost on the grass outside of Titans Tower.

“Get Bruce’s messages last night?” Grayson asked. He and Damian stood off to the side as most of the team rejoiced in the precipitation. Their girlfriends were sitting further along, watching the team fondly and holding steaming mugs of hot cocoa.

Damian nodded. “The Kent’s and their newest addition will be attending Christmas at the manor.” Damian had a small frown on the edge of his lips, thinking of Alfred alone in the kitchen.

“Hopefully the new Supergirl can teach Conner some table etiquettes,” smirked Grayson. The kryptonian in question glanced over at them from well over fifty feet away and flashed a wide grin.

“Do you think the new Batgirl will be present as well?” asked Damian.

“He didn’t say when he called last night,” said Grayson. His hair was tucked into a black beanie that Starfire liked. He tried to duck his chin into the zipped collar of his heavy coat. “But I’ve got a feeling she will be.”

Damian nodded. Jaime and Conner were trying to throw Donna into the freezing bay. Wallace and Gar cheered loudly as Donna screamed for Cassie to save her, laughing all the while.

“Her only alternative it seems would be to return to Nanda Parbat with her mother,” continued Damian thoughtfully, “and the League doesn’t celebrate holidays.”

“I’m sure she has a father,” said Dick.

“She didn’t seem very keen on commenting on her biological donator,” said Damian, “but, either way, yes, she does have one now.”

Grayson looked at him, surprised. “It sounds like you think Bruce has gone forward with adoption papers?”

Damian shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time. For a rather distant individual, my father sure has a practice with growing a family. I’m sure Cassandra Cain is living at the manor,” he finished as Grayson laughed.

“It must run in the genes,” said Dick, smiling. When Damian looked to him curiously, he added, with a smirk, “for someone so stand-offish as well, I’ve heard you sure like cuddles.”

Damian paled unbelievingly as Grayson laughed harder than before. Raven glanced over at them, unknowing that Damian knew of her betrayal, and smiled before returning with her cocoa.

Grayson grinned at his irate brother. “Starfire was curious. You can’t blame them for having girl talk, Kori’s been wanting to have it with Raven for as long as they’ve known each other. The fact that she came away with anything juicy was what was surprising to me.” He laughed to himself again.

Damian tried to look as though he was not pouting or being a sour-puss. He didn’t _want_ to be upset with Raven for anything… but thinking that Grayson probably knew everything about their relationship behind closed doors was annoying.

Grayson confirmed this a second later, in a much more sedated voice.

“It’s good on you, by the way,” he said, watching the team again, “for being patient with that.” He glanced at Damian sideways. “Raven cried on Kori’s shoulder a bit when she told her about how she couldn’t… give your relationship what she wanted. But you being as embracing as you are is really helping her through it.”

The annoyance that Grayson knew full well about his and Raven’s intimacy was still simmering in his mind… but Damian shrugged non-committal. Grayson was smiling again as he turned back to the team.

Christmas morning arrived with icy, bitter winds that whistled against the windows of Titans Tower. Frost glittered the ground around the Titans home and beautiful, thick steam rolled heavily off of the bay’s waters, shrouding the lower levels of the building and much of Jump City.

Damian awoke to a sky blanketed with white. He rolled out of bed and stretched, feeling the cold air coming off the chilled glass windows. He blinked and enjoyed the sight for a moment.

“Are you thinking about patrolling before we take off today?”

He turned. Raven was awake, propped up on an elbow, watching Damian. The view to the outside was no comparison. She got up, walking around the bed and Damian watched her freely. She was still taking to wearing her shorts, usually pulled up high, and a bra to bed.

Damian smirked. “While we should make an impact while we can, I think we’ll leave the city’s villains to the mercy of Garfield today,” he said and walked closer to a surprised looking Raven, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her in for a kiss.

“Merry Christmas,” he said against her lips. They resumed kissing. As they often did at night, Raven’s hands roamed the lines of his back to the define creases of his abdomen. She seemed to crave the physical contact possibly even more than he did, which was something that greatly surprised him.

They pulled apart, both reluctantly.

Damian nodded. “I wish it were more of a private event today. He may actually have had to expand that egregiously long table to fit everyone.” There was a distaste in his mouth.

“It does seem like half the tower will be there,” said Raven. “And it’s the first time Kori is sitting down with your and Dick’s father since the engagement.”

Damian grimaced. That thought hadn’t occurred to him. “We should probably get ready,” he said.

Raven nodded. She turned halfway towards her bathroom door. “I’m going to take a shower,” she said, still eyeing Damian.

He nodded. “Me too.” Her eyes went wide and he realized what that must’ve seemed like he was implying. “I have to head back to my own room,” he clarified, “I’ve got no more clothes here.”

Raven stared at him in the normal way she did. Nothing at all about her expression changed. “See you soon then,” she said. Only the feintest edge of a clipped tone could be heard. Damian let out a deep breath through his nostrils as the bathroom door slid closed behind her.

~

In less than an hour, he was knocking on Raven’s door again, who opened it, staring at him a little more blatantly.

“You know you can just come in,” she said. Damian noted the spark of impatience in her amethyst eyes.

He smiled, hoping to offset her mood by the way his eyes raked her up and down. She wore a black, velvety fit-and-flare sleeveless dress that went halfway down her thighs and black high heels. Tasteful. No make-up, and Damian recalled something he’d heard Wonder Woman say a long time ago- _Why would any woman cover up her natural beauty?_ Her only accessory was the black diamond bracelet he’d gifted her around her wrist.

“That’s a lovely dress you’re wearing,” he complimented to her instead of answering. It took her a second, but she smiled in return and took his hand when he offered it to her. Together, they set on their way down the hallway together.

“When do you ever go shopping anyways?” asked Raven, noting his new bomber jacket- this one, a jaded dark green. Probably the closest to a Christmas color as Damian would ever come to. “It takes all day when I get out with Kori and Donna. I’ve never seen you join Jaime or Garfield to town once.”

“Because I don’t _‘go shopping_ ’,” said Damian. “When Alfred is out visiting tailors for my father, he’ll usually send Grayson and I something that he thinks we’d like as well.”

Raven smiled at that. “And is this one of them?”

“Actually, it is,” confirmed Damian. In truth, it was on the tighter side. The cuffs stopped an inch before meeting his hands. He hadn’t realized he’d grown this much since last seeing Alfred- it’d been too long since he was back in Gotham.

Before they traversed much further, a door slid open behind them. They turned around and saw Jinx coming out of her room. She was wearing a funny Christmas jumper, a small pair of shorts almost hidden underneath, and looked wide awake. Her magenta pink hair was a little disheveled.

“Hey guys,” she called. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Damian and Raven both said in return. Jinx’s eyebrow arched high at their dressed state.

“You two off on a date?” she asked.

“No, we’re going to dinner at Batman’s house,” replied Raven, smiling.

“Oh, right,” said Jinx, “Conner and Donna were talking about that last night. The new Supergirl is going to be there?” She crossed her arms, looking intrigued.

Raven nodded. “Superman wants to slowly introduce her to others like herself. The only person she’s met our age like us is Conner.”

“Which just proves that with great power comes great responsibility… and little happiness,” said Damian. Jinx scoffed as Raven tutted at him. _“Damian.”_

Raven smiled at Jinx, seeming to really enjoy the casualness they’ve reached in such a short time. “What are your plans for today?”

Jinx shrugged. “I think Gar wants to just hang out at the tower. Wallace and Jaime are staying as well. Might just make a hangout day of it.”

“Cozy,” said Raven. “So… you and Garfield are together?”

Jinx gave a small smile, her eyes briefly flashing to Damian before she answered. “Yup.”

“When did he ask you?” wondered Raven, smiling.

“Oh, he didn’t. We just slept together last night,” informed Jinx, and Damian resisted the strong urge to snort as she jerked a thumb over her shoulder to her own bedroom door. “He’s in there right now hogging up most of my blanket. So if he thinks we’re _not_ dating now, I’ll have to poison his dinner…”

Raven laughed as a couple of other doors slid open and a groggy looking Jaime and an ecstatically jubilant Donna were revealed.

“Merry Christmas you guys!” squealed Donna, hugging Raven first.

“Merry Christmas, _hermano,”_ said Jaime, rubbing his eyes. Damian nodded at him.

“What time are we taking off for your dad’s place?” asked Donna, after she finished hugging Jinx.

“I suppose when-“ Damian started to say.

“After Damian makes breakfast!” cheered Garfield, coming out of Jinx’s room. This caused another squeal from Donna, who quickly covered he mouth, and a snigger from Jaime. Beast Boy, unabashed, wrapped an arm around the low of Jinx’s waist as he smiled at the others.

Damian frowned. “If you’re under the impression-“

“That we’re getting waffles for Christmas, it’s looking like a reason to celebrate,” said Jaime earnestly. He looked pointedly at Raven. “Raven, you _love_ waffles, don’t you?”

Raven looked at Damian sheepishly. “More than life itself,” she said. Damian heaved a tired sigh as he dropped her hand and began making his way down to the kitchens, ignoring the muffled laughter and giggles behind him.

~

“Everyone ready? Raven?”

Starfire, Grayson, Donna, Cassie, Conner, Raven, and Damian were gathered around in a loose huddle in the common room. Lounging around on the couches around them were Wallace and Jaime, who were still in their pajamas, getting ready for a morning of video games on the Titan’s big screen.

Jinx and Garfield had wandered off somewhere.

“Wayne Manor,” said Cassie, who looked especially posh in an all-white blouse and skirt and pink lipstick, “it’s been a while since I’ve been there.”

“You’ve been to my father’s home?” asked Damian in surprise.

“It’s where I came from when I first arrived here,” smiled Cassie. “Princess Diana and I were stopping by to return your father’s jacket… and we ended up there for _twelve extra hours_.”

Damian grimaced as Grayson dropped his head in his hand.

“Whenever you’re ready, Raven,” said Starfire, smiling softly.

The corner of her mouth turned up, Raven lifted a hand and conjured a large, circular portal of piercing white and purple light. One after another, the Titans stepped through it.

They came straight into the grand foyer of Wayne Manor. The ceiling must’ve been forty feet high at the least and a very large fir tree in between two spiraling staircases speckled with lights and ornaments nearly reached it.

“Oh my,” commented Donna, looking around in a sort of wonder. “How big is this place?”

“48,000 square feet approximately, madam.”

They all turned, Dick with a wider smile than most, to see Alfred Pennyworth, standing at the ready. He was a kindly looking elder man, tall, with more white hair on the side of his head than atop, an English styled mustache, and sharp blue eyes.

“Master Richard,” said Alfred warmly, “Master Damian. Welcome back.”

“Hey, Al,” grinned Dick. Damian smiled, his hands tucked behind his back. “Where’s the big bad bat?”

“Probably in a cave, hanging upside down, Master Richard,” said Alfred.

“I heard that.”

They all looked up. Descending down the stairs were Damian’s father, dressed in a tux yet again, and Wonder Woman, or, as Damian should start to know her as, he supposed, Diana Prince. With her elegant black dress that dropped to her knees, they seemed to be a royalty pair. They even had the same shade of royal blue eyes.

“Welcome to my home everyone,” said his father, looking about as happy as he ever could as Wonder- Diana first hugged Donna, then Cassie. “And Merry Christmas to you all.”

“Merry Christmas!” They all chorused.

Bruce approached Damian and Raven as the others began to talk. Dick and Starfire were showing Alfred the ring on her finger.

Damian lightened fractionally, though he felt Raven snap a little more to attention at his side as his father approached. Hand in his pocket with an overall easy posture, Bruce Wayne smiled as he looked back and forth between them.

“It’s good to see you son.” His sentimentalism was overbearing sometimes. “And it’s _always_ good to see you, Raven.” He added, smiling wider if anything, at Damian’s girlfriend.

Raven returned his gesture. “Thank you.” She looked up at the large tree. “It’d be a shame if no one was able to see how much of an effort you put into the holidays.”

Bruce’s lips twitched.

“Are the Kent’s not here yet?” asked Damian, glancing around.

“No,” said Bruce, “Clark texted me. They’re traveling by way of road, so they’ll be slower this time.”

Damian sighed. Raven smiled at him.

“How about a tour, Al?” asked Grayson loudly. “Most of them here haven’t seen it yet.”

Raven snorted. “I’ve been here three times and I still haven’t seen it all yet.” She took Damian’s hand almost absent-mindedly and they began following Alfred alongside Cassie, Donna, and Conner (Grayson and Starfire had stayed behind to talk with Bruce and Diana).

Alfred showed them the parlor rooms that were even larger than the common area at Titans Tower. A balcony on the third floor had an amazing view of the eighty foot pool and the libraries were endless. There were three of them in Wayne Manor (though even Damian had never set eyes on the one that was his father’s private collection). After being shown the basketball court, they were on the fourth floor of the west wing (“this place is like a modern Castlevania,” said Donna), the bedroom area, when the door that was next to Damian’s opened and they heard a loud voice.

“Hey everyone!”

Confirming to Damian that she was surely living at the manor, Cassandra Cain stepped out of her bedroom and into the hallway.

“It’s good to see you guys again,” she said, eyeing Conner particularly.

“Hi, Cassandra,” said Raven. “We didn’t know you’d be here.”

“ _No_ , we did not,” said Donna, sounding bored.

“I knew he didn’t tell anyone,” said Cassandra, more to Alfred than any of them. Her jubilancy was not deterred.

“How much does he ever really share, Lady Cassandra?” said Alfred with a dry smile.

They arrived to the manor’s biggest sitting/living rooms. Cushy sofas and armchairs were spread out and a great fireplace was centered against the wall, lit. Grayson, Starfire, Diana, and his father were already there, standing in the middle and chatting.

“Enjoy the tour everyone?” his father asked politely. He looked to Conner. “Your father just texted me. They’ll be here in a few moments.”

“I’ll await their arrival, Master Bruce,” said Alfred diligently.

“Thank you, Alfred,” said Bruce. Diana took his hand, their blue eyes locking. They smiled warmly at each other.

Moments later, as Bruce was telling Raven about a small selection he thought she would enjoy, Alfred reentered the room, this time followed by a trio of people.

Tall, burly, and incredibly friendly looking, Clark Kent stood side-by-side with Metropolis’s famous investigative reporter, Lois Lane-Kent. They were dressed in a matching set of khakis and crisp blue shirts.

She was there on Lois’s left, looking very fidgety in a white cardigan. The new kryptonian that Damian scrutinized. Blonde hair nearly the same length as Cassie’s and about the same age and size as Wallace with the same sapphire blue eyes as Superman.

“Whaddup pops,” greeted Conner. His eyes flicked mischievously to Lois. “B-“

“Don’t even start it,” Clark said firmly. His eyes went to Batman. “Hello, Bruce. Thank you for having us.”

“Pleasure,” said Bruce. They shook hands, sharing a real look of comradery. Damian was reminded of the time his father was nearly bandaged from head to toe, looking out into the dark rain, seeming lost as they held Superman’s funeral.

“I still can’t get over that _you’re_ Batman,” said Lois as they broke their grip. There was a longing in her voice about the story of the century that it could be.

“Everyone’s full of surprises,” said Conner, walking up to them and throwing his arm around his new cousin. He grinned at the blonde.

“Come on, Kara! Let’s meet the squad.”

Introductions were made. Conner pointed out that Starfire was the leader of the Titans and Grayson was her personal assistant first, fiancé second (Richard smiled, but chose not to rebuff it), Cassandra (Batgirl), Cassie and Donna (who planted herself right next to them), Raven, and Damian. Her eyes lingered longer on Damian than the others, who studied her right back.

She was shaken. Taking everything in as the silent observer, uncomfortable with being watched as much as she was watching. Demure. No aggression in any muscle of her body, but her chin jutted out slightly. She was focused and embracive.

Damian received a small nudge in his side. He turned his head to see Raven giving him a look- _cut it out._ He repressed a sigh.

“Merry Christmas to you,” said Bruce as Alfred brought a small tray held high with one hand holding two glasses of red wine. Clark and Lois took them.

“Merry Christmas Bruce,” grinned Clark. He and his wife sipped the wine absently- then immediately pulled their heads back, surveying their glasses with greatly impressed interest.

“X-Mas dinner shall be served in two hours, sir,” informed Alfred thusly.

“ _I’ll help_!”

Damian and the new Supergirl looked at each other. They had spoken at the same time. Alfred smiled kindly.

“Well, with the hands of Master Damian and this lovely madam on deck, dinner will be ready in one and a half,” he said. Clark looked at his cousin curiously, and with a little sadness, as nearly everyone else shot Damian the same look, Raven included.

_Take it easy._

He ignored all but one of them.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said to Raven, whose eyes were more on the critical side. After a moment, she sighed, squeezing his hand before letting go. Damian followed Alfred to the kitchens, the new kryptonian at his side looking a bit more comfortable.

Alfred turned to them once they had reached their stations in the 1,500 square foot kitchen.

“I need you both to be working on the soups and vegetables while I prepare the boar and wellington,” he said crisply. “Would you be familiar with working on this? It’s a cream of cauliflower soup,” he said to Supergirl, gesturing to the pots and the station next to them. She nodded firmly. Alfred turned to Damian. “If I could have you honey-glaze the carrots and parsnips, Master Damian. And look after the brussels sprouts with pancetta.”

“I’ve handled larger tasks at times,” said Damian dryly, rolling up his sleeves. He pretended to miss the way Alfred appraised how he wore the bomber jacket he got him. He left to attend to his own work.

Supergirl threw one of the pewter colored aprons over her white cardigan and began turning up the heat. Damian followed suit. They worked silently for twenty minutes, the only sounds being sizzling, chopping, brushing, and boiling. Damian wondered every now and then what Raven was doing, the entire time keeping an eye on his new comrade in his peripheral vision.

Damian turned his head fully to her. “You’ve done this before,” he commented on her skills.

She turned to him, looking quizzical and unsure. “I did a lot of the cooking at my house,” she said, “I actually made Clark’s very first baby formula.”

“And that’s how you go down in history,” said Damian.

She scoffed and turned her attention back to the creamy soup, a smile on her face.

Damian stirred the brussels sprouts, but after a minute he became aware of her eyes on him.

“Is there something you need help with?” he asked, startling her for some odd reason.

“N-no,” she said quickly, a light blush on her face. “I’ve got this.”

Damian nodded slowly. “Well, if there’s anything I can do.” He returned to his own tasks. He was always aware of her frequent glances his way. He thought perhaps she wanted to make conversation, which was the opposite reason of why Damian thought she wanted to escape to back here.

“Your name is Kara, right?” asked Damian, starting with something simple.

“Kara Zor-El,” said Kara, adding more spices to the soup. “My father was Clark’s father’s brother.”

“And you were meant to protect him?” inquired Damian, stirring the sprouts.

Kara frowned, looking up at him. “I’ve already been interrogated about all of this, you know.”

“That’s not my intent,” Damian told her. “I don’t want a Kryptonian history lesson,” he said bluntly, full well knowing Clark and Conner could easily hear him, “I just want to understand _you_ better.”

The blush on Kara’s face went dark. “ _Me?_ But-“

“Not like that,” Damian said quickly. He turned his eyes on the baking glazed carrots. “You’re a powerful force on this planet, whether you like it or not,” he muttered, “you could do some real good… if you choose to.”

Kara seemed to be studying him for the first time. “And what would the first step of that be?”

“Not listening to Conner, probably,” said Damian. Kara laughed. Then her face went more sincere.

“Clark wants me to join you guys,” she said. “Instead of being his protector, being the protector of nearly everyone.”

Damian surveyed her again when he had a moment. “We could teach you,” he said. “You’re an alien refugee, just like Starfire.”

“Your leader?”

Damian nodded. “And _she_ is one of the people I respect the most.”

Kara looked a lot more hopeful at that. She smiled at him and he returned it. They went back to work on the food preparation, making casual conversation. After just over an hour had passed since they entered the kitchen, Kara inquired about something peculiar.

“ _So,”_ she started off, a little red in the face, “the girl with the violet hair, uhm-“

“Raven.”

“ _Raven_ , yeah. Is she, your, uhm… partner?”

“For as long as she’ll have me,” said Damian without hesitation. He wasn’t sure where this turn in conversation was coming from.

“Oh.” Was all Kara said. She didn’t bring up the matter again.

Alfred came over shortly after, shooing them away.

“Go on Master Damian, my lady, it is Christmas now. Enjoy the party with your friends and family while I get the plates ready.”

“The carrots and parsnips need to be turned over again,” said Damian. Alfred’s thin line of a mouth curved upwards the slightest.

Damian and Kara arrived back in the large sitting area. Dick, Conner, Cassandra, and Lois were playing 2v2 pool to the far left and Raven, Diana, Starfire, Cassie (Wondergirl), and Donna were sitting in the small group of a cushy armchairs by the fire. Titus was there with his head in Raven’s lap. Bruce and Clark were nowhere to be seen.

Kara went left to the pool tables and Damian went right to the ladies. They were deep in conversation as he approached.

“Unless that is too-“ Starfire was saying.

“Not at all,” said Diana, seeming slightly uneasy with whatever was said. “I’ve only ever seen the three. Steve really was the first man I ever laid eyes on, and we fit very well together,” she said. “We both had backgrounds as specialist warriors and it was good for us to connect. With Clark, as much as I admired Superman, he was comfortable. He was good for me to ease my way into things like home life and pop culture. But… when it was ended, we really were at our end. Sometimes there’s only so far a relationship between two certain people can go.”

“And _Batman?”_ asked Donna.

Diana swirled her red wine, a daydreaming look in his eyes. “ _Mmm_ … the most admiral man who ever existed,” she purred.

Damian cleared his throat loudly. Three of their heads snapped up, but Raven had already been aware of his presence. “Dinner is nearly ready ladies,” he said, feeling a lot like Alfred.

“Thank you, Damian,” said Wonder Woman, looking sheepish.

Just then, his father and Clark came in, talking amongst themselves.

“You don’t have to.”

“Most things I do, I do because I have to,” said Bruce, “this is not one of them.” Clark grinned at him. When Lois walked over and raised a quizzical brow at him, he just subtly shook his head, smiling.

Alfred came in. “Dinner is served, Master Bruce.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” said Bruce. “Everyone- this way.”

They insisted Alfred join them, who insisted the opposite. It was against his nature. And it was a great meal, even for Damian, who missed the main courses. Good food and even the company that wasn’t Raven wasn’t half bad. He ended up in between Raven and Kara of all people across from Conner, who was in between Cassandra Cain and Donna. Their Cassie, who was on Donna’s other side, seemed to try to catch Damian’s eye a few times, attempting to hold some kind of look as if to convey some surreptitious message. He never got the gist of it, so he turned his attention to the others.

“You’d love Garfield,” Conner was saying to Kara, “There’s never a dull moment with that guy around.”

“Or a peaceful one,” muttered Donna as she munched on her dessert. Alfred had brought out a tray of delicious white-and-black cookies and tarts.

“Are you two zoned in on where you want the ceremony?” asked Lois to Kori and Grayson.

“Not entirely,” admitted Grayson. “We just know we want it in the springtime.”

“Well, I’d say you’re cutting it arrogantly close on deciding then, but bottomless pockets usually solves those kinds of problems,” said Lois, sipping more wine.

“Honey,” chided Clark softly, though he and Bruce were both grinning.

“Well it’s true,” Diana agreed, “you could show up the day of, hand a couple a check, and they would just _not_ get married that day.”

Lois snorted into her wine in a fit of laughter.

Damian turned his attention back down to his end of the table. Donna was trying to occupy Conner’s attention (she was wearing the black pants suit with the revealing cleavage again) and Cassandra was chatting with Kara across the table about how her and Batman’s patrols usually worked.

Damian felt his hand squeezed and looked over at Raven next to him, who was watching him with one of her signature smiles.

“You’re looking more relaxed today,” she commented.

“There are reasons for that,” he said. He became lost in amethyst eyes.

~

After supper had concluded, they were all standing in the foyer again, saying their goodbyes.

“Just try to let Barry know before the year is up,” Bruce was telling Clark, his hands casually in his suit pockets, “and see if you can pull Hal out of the woodworks.”

“Will do.”

“It is an honor as always, Master Richard and Master Damian,” said Alfred.

“We’ll be back soon, Al,” smiled Grayson. “We didn’t get to annoy the old man enough today.”

Damian scratched Titus’s ears. The dog’s head was nearly level with his chest standing on all fours. Raven was saying bye to Cassandra. As Conner approached, she gave him a hug, which had both Donna and Bruce scowling.

“Next time any of you are in Gotham, swing on by,” she said, looking directly at Superboy.

“We’ll keep that in mind,” said Donna through gritted teeth. Raven tried to suppress a smile.

“Thank you for the good time everyone,” Kori said to Bruce, Diana, and Alfred.

“Please don’t be a stranger, dear,” said Alfred for them.

Damian turned his gaze to Kara, who he was surprised to find already looking at him.

“What will you do?” he asked her.

Everyone dropped their volumes, becoming more fixed on that small question and the response that awaited it. Kara shifted back and forth on her feet.

“I’d…” she said, “I’d like to meet the team. Get to know Titans Tower.”

Clark and most of the others were smiling. Kori exchanged a look with him before doing the same with Grayson. She finally looked to Kara.

“After the holidays,” she said, “fly on over and meet the rest of the team. The world could always use more heroes.” She smiled brightly. Kara returned it.

“We’re gonna need more rooms soon,” said Raven as she lifted her hand to create a portal.

“Garfield can just transform into a squirrel and stay outside,” said Damian. Raven laughed.

Damian stepped through, finding Garfield, Wallace, Jaime, and Jinx all nestled on the couch playing that new 2077 game they’d talked about a month ago. The reception back was warm.

Everyday… was becoming so much fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters should be up more frequently. I plan on starting another arc, similar to the five-six chapter H.I.V.E story I had going on to kick this story off.   
> I hope you all enjoy it! (Trigon Voice) Be Well!


	12. Happy New Year, Titans!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Just wanted to state that I still plan to update this story every four to five days, but I am also writing a new story, 'Skate Into Love', with Lavender Teacups! I hope you guys check that one out soon. You're all incredible.

Robin spent most of the following nights out on late patrol. White collar crime always was on the up again in Jump City this time of the year and whether it was he and Nightwing, he and Beetle, or even him and Raven, they seemed to be making a record number of stops each night.

“You’d think robbers would bring more than a kitchen knife,” commented Damian after a break-in stop. It was just after midnight, making it officially New Year’s Eve.

“Yeah, that’d make things more exciting,” said Raven dryly. She watched her boyfriend tied up the unconscious would-be crooks and string them up to a light pole. They’d already alerted the police, who seemed to be behind on simply apprehending knocked out bodies and taking them back to the station.

Robin turned back to Raven. “I believe the Jump City Police are already seeing a convocation in their jails tonight. Ready to return to the tower?”

“We could race there?” Raven suggested. A smile broke out on Robin’s lips. Instead, he walked forward and took her hand as she raised her other into the open air, ready to create a portal until they were interrupted.

“You guys rock!” They heard.

They turned their heads. On the other side of the street, a small posy had formed, evidentially just witnessing their act.

“Robin, I love you!” Called one of the girls.

“Raven, will you please take a selfie with me?”

“You guys are _totally_ invited to my New Year’s Eve party! 4615 Charleston street, you’re the guests of honor!”

“Maybe next year guys,” Raven called back tonelessly. She created her portal and she and Damian hurriedly stepped through.

There was a faint glow from candles in random spots in her room. She kept one near her bathroom door, another on her hairdresser, and another oddly close to the Da Vinci painting. The smell was something akin to a crisp white musk that Damian liked.

“Fun night on the town,” said Raven, lowering her hood.

“We showed enough people a good time,” said Damian. Raven huffed a single laugh as he removed his Robin mask and cape, hanging it neatly on the hook by her door.

Damian started undoing his Robin vest when he noticed that Raven was watching him a little more intently than usual.

“Something on your mind?” he asked her. He paused, realizing her eyebrows had crinkled.

“About the new year…”

“You’re not seriously insinuating you want to go to that party?” he asked her, frowning.

Raven raised a brow. “Don’t be funny. I was just wondering… if maybe you wanted to start it off together.” She was looking at him with her eyebrow cocked still, and Damian could tell she was concentrating on not glancing down and away.

But he stared at her, uncomprehending and frowning. “We’re not together?” he asked, feeling foolish.

“That’s not what I meant,” Raven explained quickly, “I mean… what if you move the rest of your belongings in here?” She watched him wearily.

It only took Damian a beat. He smiled.

“I’ll grab my stuff in the morning,” he said. Raven smiled. The night was spent experimentally trailing kisses over each other’s bodies until it got to the point Raven would lose her mind with bliss and accidentally conjured black magic as Damian’s mouth found her delicious waistline. He had to stop her from pulling her shorts down as she yet again had failed to noticed anything.

“We’ll have to get that fixed again,” he remarked, gazing at another crack in the wall.

Raven smiled, not a care in the world on her shoulders.

~

“There you are. You know you two made the morning news?”

Robin looked up. It was New Year’s Eve morning and training had just concluded. He was in the comms room, sorting through the data of higher criminal activity when he heard Nightwing’s voice approaching from behind him.

“Come again, Grayson?” said Damian coolly.

There was an annoying, easy smirk on Nightwing’s face like he knew something obvious Damian did not. He turned to the main monitor and pressed a couple of buttons. Numbers of criminal statistics left the screen, replaced by an on air reporter about Grayson and Kori’s age. Damian’s mouth fell slightly open as there was a low quality image of he and Raven holding hands from the previous night.

The gossip reporter was saying, “…and so it seems, evidenced by this image captured from one of Jump City’s own who witnessed their heroic acts just last night, that at least one half of the Super Sons is taken. Yes, broken hearts can be heard all across the coast-line. This brings up a wide number of questions: How long exactly has Robin been seeing possibly the most mysterious superhero alive, Raven? Does Batman know? Have fans always been wrong about the creepy Beast Boy and Raven relationship that they’ve made posters about? And just _who is_ Raven of the Teen Titans? Stay tuned for all the information we can give you at ten.”

Nightwing cut the transmission off and looked at Damian.

“Garfield..?” said Damian distastefully.

“That’s what you took away from that?” laughed Nightwing, amused. “You know there’s not a soul now who won’t know about your and Raven’s personal ties.”

Damian thought about that. “It doesn’t matter,” he decided. “Anyone who would’ve had a personal vendetta against me perished with Brother Blood,” he said grimly, remembering Deathstroke.

“Or was transferred to Arkham last week,” added Nightwing.

Ah, yes. Damian had heard about Rose’s situation.

He lifted his shoulder and dropped them in an uncaring shrug. “What could she ever do? She wasn’t a match for me. And Raven could fight Rose Wilson and probably eat breakfast at the same time.”

“Thanks, babe.”

Damian turned in his chair. Raven and Starfire were standing in the doorway, both smiling.

“See our headline?” teased Raven.

“That reporter’s work is just another criminal stat,” said Damian. He frowned, looking at Nightwing. “What was that they called me? A… super son?”

“Please don’t ask.”

“We do have more pressing matters,” Starfire announced, getting their focus. “Your father just sent an alert- be ready for a call for details.”

Nightwing and Robin’s mouths identically pressed into hard lines.

“Any clue what it’s about?” asked Nightwing. Starfire shook her head.

“Father doesn’t even include his own teammates unless it’s big,” noted Damian, “we should get the team together. Where is everyone?”

“Jinx, Jaime, and Garfield are all out on the town,” said Starfire, “and Conner flew off somewhere. We’ll have to bring them up to speed later.”

Nightwing nodded, but was grimacing as he did so. Raven and Robin exchanged a look.

The predicted incoming call came moments later. Nightwing accepted, and Batman appeared on screen, looking stern as usual.

“Titans.”

“What is it, Batman?” asked Starfire.

“Luthor,” he said. “Lex has been working with the underground again, playing a cloak-and-dagger game across the country under the League’s radar.”

“If you know what he’s doing, why haven’t you just apprehended him,” asked Damian scathingly. Nightwing’s lips twitched.

Batman paused and you could _almost_ see a smile if your imagination worked hard enough. “He’s been staying a step ahead. Superman and I have kept him under constant surveillance, but he’s still had the resources to constant his old teammates on the Legion of Doom.”

“What are they planning?” asked Nightwing. “Best guess.”

“Best guess: recruitment,” replied Batman “there’s been energy spikes over the planet. Erratic and drawing a large source of kinetic energy.”

“Like the day Supergirl arrived?” said Damian, eyes narrowing.

But Batman shook his head. “Different readings and far more powerful. We believe Luthor is having his old friends chase them. To see if they can possibly find whatever is causing them and use it to their advantage.”

“Isn’t there a way for the League to confront him?” asked Starfire. “He is still a member, after all.”

Batman looked like he didn’t like the reminder. “He’s been surveilling us as much as we have him,” he said with a bitter taste. “He’s constantly on alert where every and all League members are at at all times. Keeping him close has backfired.”

“Just as you thought,” grinned Nightwing.

“We investigate one area of spiked energy, his team goes to another.”

“Can’t Flash hit them at all nigh-simultaneously?” asked Damian skeptically.

“Too dangerous,” answered Batman. “Flash can hold his own against anyone, but an entirely assorted Legion of Doom would be too overwhelming to send him to unaccompanied.”

“So you want us to check out the other energy spikes?” asked Nightwing. “Since we’re under his radar.”

“Assume nothing,” Batman said, “Lex is all but ready to reveal his true allegiance. We have to assume he’s calculated all the risks, Titans included.”

“We’ll be covert,” said Starfire. “Raven, Nightwing, Robin, the others, and myself will split up checking energy sources. Superboy can keep eyes on ears from one miles away.”

Batman titled his head towards them. “Supergirl as well… She’ll be joining you.”

Damian voiced what it looked like Nightwing was thinking.

“Is this _really_ the best time?” he asked irritably. “A mission where secrecy and skill is required isn’t the best place for a novice.”

“It’s a mission where an open-fight could be avoided,” said Batman, however he didn’t fool his son or Nightwing; they could hear this was overall a League decision speaking through him. “It’s better to start off slow.”

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” promised Starfire. “When can we expect her?”

“Today,” said Batman. “She’ll be on her way with Superman in just a couple of hours. Be on hand for the next energy spike.”

Starfire nodded at attention. “Titans,” Batman said, a last look to his sons before ending the call from his end.

“I’ll call the others back,” Starfire said to them. She turned to Nightwing. “Can you get things ready?”

“Sure thing, boss,” said Nightwing, smiling. Starfire gave her fiancé a returned smile before she pivoted and left. Raven smiled at Damian, her hood up and cloak around her body like a blanket again, before following her.

He wondered if she was waiting for him to take the initiative to begin fully moving into her room. Hmm…

“So things are going good?”

Robin looked at Nightwing for a beat. “Remarkably. We’re… I’m moving the rest of my stuff into her place today.”

Nightwing did a take. “That went to the next step fast,” he commented, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“You have to know that we’re spending every night together,” said Damian, looking unimpressed at his big brother.

“I know, I know,” said Grayson, “Kori is still interrogating Raven every chance she gets.”

Damian scoffed. He was going to reply, but Donna and Cassie walked in just then.

“Hey guys,” said Donna, “we just ran into Kori and Rae. Sounds like Kara is gonna be joining us from today.”

“We’ll see how it goes,” said Nightwing. “Just make her feel welcome and apart of the team- nothing is set in stone.”

Donna nodded, but was obviously feeling excited. She and Kori had gotten along great with Kara at Christmas.

Cassie was peering at Damian.

“So,” she said, her arms behind her back, “did we just hear right? You and Raven gonna be moving in together?”

Donna shot her a look like displeasure that Cassie pretended to not see.

“We are,” said Damian.

Cassie looked thoughtful. “It seems awfully fast?” she tried.

“We know what we want,” said Damian plainly. Where was this going?

Cassie smirked, but it seemed more like a grimace.

“If we’re done here,” said Nightwing pointedly. He was stiff. “Ladies, can you see if there’s still an open room next to Cassie’s? Just in case things go well these next few days.”

Donna nodded. There was a soft look in Cassie’s eyes as Donna shooed her away.

Damian looked to a frowning Grayson when they were gone.

“What on Earth was that about?”

~

“I have no clue where to put these.”

Raven glanced up at him. It had been two hours since their comms room meeting and Damian wasted no time in fulfilling his promise of moving in once he had acquired what additional information he could regarding the mission.

Damian held his mother and grandfather’s swords. Raven’s room was full, but nothing was cluttered. Every piece was strung together in a nice image when you looked at the whole.

And Damian was not an interior decorator.

“To the side of the painting,” said Raven. A small smile had been on her lips the entire time.

Damian did as she said, trying to make the swords as symmetrical with everything else as he could. He put his hands on his hips when he was done.

“Done moving in,” he stated. He heard Raven laugh once behind him.

“I never realized how soft your clothes were,” she said, feeling one of his hoodies between her fingers as she hung it up on what was now _his_ side of the closet.

“Alfred purchases a thousand dollar socks and ties for my father,” said Damian, “there’s no telling what the clothes he sends me cost.”

She smiled wider as she hung up the last bit of clothes for him. He’d already filled the drawers she emptied for him and placed his toiletries in the bathroom. In a moment, they were standing less than a foot apart, simply gazing at each other.

“Well,” she said, “no refunds.”

“ _TT_ ,” replied Damian. He inched closer to pull her in, but there was a knock at the door.

Raven slid it open with her powers, not moving from her spot. Garfield was there, his hands tucked into his jeans, looking happy.

“Kori and Nightwing wanted me to come get you guys,” he said cheerily, “they felt pretty uncomfortable with catching y’all during _alone time_.”

“Garfield,” groaned Raven. Gar just glanced around the room, unabated.

“Where’s the tv?” he asked curiously.

“No tv,” said Damian firmly, “is Kara almost here?”

“So you’re on first name terms with her, too?” asked Garfield. Damian fought the urge to roll his eyes at what was sadly one of his first friends. “Dick said she should be arriving any minute now.”

“We’re on our way down,” said Raven without moving a muscle.

Garfield grinned, winked, and turned around briskly. The door slid closed behind him.

Raven turned to Damian again.

“ _Are_ we on our way down?” she asked. Damian smirked.

“We are,” he said. “We have to be ready for any sort of complications that may come up.”

“Alright,” Raven relented, “let’s go meet our new teammate.”

~

They were all waiting out front, just like how Raven and some of the others did when Cassie first arrived. Damian glanced around at his teammates. Starfire and Nightwing were out front. Star had her hands behind her back diligently and Nightwing was just at her side with his arms folded.

Cassie was chatting with Jaime and Wallace at ease, apparently not talking about the upcoming missions at all. She laughed at something Wallace said.

Jinx and Garfield were standing close to them, but in their own little world at the moment. They were holding hands, enjoying their new relationship and whispering together.

Donna and Conner, though, were much closer than what Damian would’ve thought they would be. They were sitting at the same spot Raven and Starfire had been as the rest of the team played in the snow, talking closely. Donna was looking excited and playful, and Conner was absently looking back and forth between her and the team, a cool, easy grin on his face.

“Their relationship seems to be coming along,” commented Damian.

“Your observant this week,” said Raven. She had a playful smile on her face as well.

Damian pinched her butt.

“ _Damian!_ ” Raven swatted his hand lightly after she jumped, startled but a wider smile on her face.

He had a light smile for her, but Conner interrupted by calling out to everyone.

“Coming in dead ahead!” he said. Damian and the rest looked to the horizon. The afternoon sun up, but more on the other side of the Tower, so they were able to look without being blinded.

They came slowly, for Kryptonian speeds. Two dots in a distance at first steadily growing as they moved like jets across the sky. In no time at all, Superman and the new so-called Supergirl were landing less than ten feet in front of Starfire and Grayson.

“Welcome,” said Starfire happily.

“It’s good to see you all again Starfire,” said Superman. He had the same friendly expression he had at Christmas. It was amazing no one ever deduced that Clark Kent was his other identity, or vice versa, thought Damian.

Kara was in an outfit of Kryptonian origins indeed. Her top was a long sleeve blue in that Kryptonian woven material with a large Red ‘S’ across the chest, a red cape, and a red skirt that went to her knees with high red boots. She seemed nervous with everyone’s eyes on her again, some she hadn’t met yet, but not nearly as much so as when she eagerly insisted on helping Damian and Alfred in the kitchens just to escape.

“Kara, it’s good to see you again as well,” said Nightwing, “or should I say _Supergirl?_ ” he said, grinning.

“Kara, please,” said Kara, “only Supergirl when, we’ll when we’re _out there,_ I suppose,” she said, gesturing to the entire world behind her.

“Of course,” said Nightwing. He turned to the rest of the team. “Everyone!”

Wallace was there before he fully for the word out.

“Wallace West,” he greeted her, taking her hand enthusiastically. “I’m the Flash.”

Kara nodded. “Right. Kal- Superman told me about you. Kid Flash, right?”

Wallace snorted and rolled his head and shoulders dramatically. “Well, pshh, I mean, I’d like to think we drop the _kid_ when we become heroes, am I right?”

“I don’t know _hermano,”_ said Jaime, a teasing smile on his face, “I don’t think any of the rest of us has had _kid_ tied to our names before, am I right?”

Wallace glared at him and Kara smiled, seeming unsure. Her sapphire blue eyes caught Damian’s and she smiled and waved.

“What’s going on Kara?” said Donna, walking up as well, “ready to start running with the team?”

Kara nodded. “I think so. I’ve gotten used to this whole super strength and speed thing. I still use my X-Ray vision sometimes not meaning to… but other than that, I think I’m fine.”

Damian tried not to grimace. He was hearing a lot of uncertainty.

“Do we have any more ideas what’s causing the energy spikes?” Nightwing asked Superman as more introductions were made. Jinx was telling Kara that she was very new as well and that everyone except Damian was friendly.

“Batman believes it’s a magical signature,” said Superman seriously. “Very different from the one we picked up weeks ago. He’s got John Constantine and the Justice League Dark looking into it now.”

“Justice League Dark?” asked Kara, looking over. “Are they like, evil?”

“Nah,” said Raven, “just cool.”

Superman smiled at her.

“We’ll be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice,” confirmed Starfire.

“Good,” said Superman, “he’s not the most powerful, but when his brain is behind something, Lex is one of the most dangerous adversaries I can think of. He’s the only person I’ve ever met who could challenge Batman intellectually.”

“We’ll find out what he’s up to, Superman,” said Starfire confidently. There wasn’t a falter on a single one of the Titan’s faces.

Superman didn’t seem appeased. His brewing with Lex ran deep. But his face relaxed as he saw Kara looking at him.

“You’re going to be okay here,” he told her gently. “These are good people.”

“I know,” she said. “I just wish you didn’t have to go,” she admitted, rubbing her arm.

“I’ll see you again in a few days,” he said. Then, as if remembering something, he looked anxiously at Starfire.

“You guys do have a spare room for her, right?”

“We do,” smiled Starfire.

Superman nodded. After a couple of farewells, and ruffling Conner’s hair (“Cut it out, old man!”), Superman took off at a much faster pace than what he came in with, already gone from sight completely quicker than the blink of an eye.

“Kara,” started Starfire, friendly as she always was, “what say we get you settled in?”

Supergirl looked more comfortable than Damian had ever seen her.

“I’d like that.”

~

Kara thought overall Titans Tower was the coolest place she’d been to on Earth yet.

She thought the training simulation was fun, breaking apart the projections with her bare fists, fighting alongside Donna, Jinx, and Raven. She loved the view from her (temporary) room and thought the pantry was incredible.

“I’ve seen forests on Krypton with less herbs,” remarked Supergirl as she came out of the pantry at dinner time.

“You cooked a lot back there?” asked Jinx.

Supergirl nodded. “All the time. Ever since I was a little girl.”

“How old are you anyway?” Wallace, who was right next to her, asked.

Kara frowned. “Thirteen. Why? How old are you?”

Wallace looked ecstatic. “Same!”

Grayson and Jaime coughed their laughs into their cups. They were joined by Damian, Kori, Raven, Gar, and Cassie at dinner.

“It really doesn’t take much to get used to this place,” said Kara, sitting down at the table.

“I’m glad you’re finding our home to your liking,” encouraged Starfire. Damian tried not to show his dismay at that. This wasn’t a hotel. Kara hadn’t seen the field yet.

Raven’s eyes met his. He was glad to see that they were on the same page again.

“The routine is pretty easy to get used to,” said Cassie. “Just a bunch of waking up and training. You’ll have to do school work though, I’m betting…”

Kara frowned. “You guys don’t?”

Damian snorted, eating some of his cabbage. Now Raven smiled at him.

“Everyone around this table is mostly already eighteen,” said Grayson, “we tend to study and work on whatever we want at this point. Only Conner and Wallace are still doing school work.”

Both who looked very unhappy about it.

Kara made a face at Damian. “I thought you weren’t over eighteen? Why aren’t you doing school work?”

“I finished this country’s high school curriculum when I was thirteen,” Damian said, trying to sound matter-of-factly and not boastful, “Cassie’s my age, but she also finished her academic studies prior before coming here.”

Cassie smiled at him. “Two peas in a pod,” she said, taking a drink.

Raven’s finger twitched against her glass.

“So Kara, have you done any training with Superman or the Justice League?” asked Starfire hurriedly, deriving away the tension suddenly at the table.

“Not very much,” Kara admitted. “I was taught to defend myself back on Krypton, but nothing to this extent at all.”

“Try patrolling sometime,” said Damian. “It’s a beginner’s guide to fighting crime.”

“Yes!” cried Starfire. “Good idea, Damian.”

“Okay,” said Kara hesitantly, “when should I-“

“Take it easy tonight,” said Grayson firmly. “Just hang out here at the tower, we’ll start training in the morning. If you’re feeling good tomorrow, we’ll go out. Me, you, and Kori.”

“Cool,” grinned Kara.

“Are you going out tonight?” asked Starfire to Damian. “It’s New Year’s Eve.”

“We should be celebrating,” said Jinx, smirking at her plate. Garfield grinned at her.

“I’ll just be out for a couple of hours,” said Damian. “Just enough to let thugs know there’s someone out tonight.”

Damian looked at Raven, intending to ask her to come with him, but she was frowning.

“I told Donna I’d help her with something,” she said.

“Maybe she needs help moving a couch,” said Damian dryly. He glanced at Wallace.

“Hey, speedster. Want to save the day a few times tonight?”

~

“Man, but she’s so incredible!”

“I get it,” said Damian in a low voice. He was starting to regret his decision of asking Wallace to tag along.

He and Kid Flash were posted outside of a typical dark warehouse. Robin peeks around the corner. A couple of guards were standing out front with assault rifles.

“They don’t even try to rethink their formula anymore,” Damian muttered to himself.

“And her _eyes,”_ Wallace was saying, unperturbed of guards ready to shoot him in the vicinity, “have you ever seen eyes that were so catching?”

“Yeah,” said Damian curtly, looking at him, “Conner has the same ones.”

“You wound me, dude…”

“Can you focus a little bit?” asked Damian severely. “It’s almost eleven. I want to get back to the Tower soon.”

“Cause you don’t wanna miss your New Year’s kiss with your _girlfriend,”_ teased Kid Flash, snickering.

“Do you really want to miss your potential chance with Supergirl?” countered Damian. Kid Flash stared at him like he just dropped from space. Then his expression changed entirely.

“Okay, _game on!_ ”

Damian smirked. The dubious guards were hardly aware of their surroundings, Robin wasn’t even sure if they felt it when he landed a kick upside their heads jumping from the roof, knocking them out cold.

“Man that was slick,” commented Wallace.

“You’ll be up next,” said Damian tactically. “I’ll grab their attention. Reveal any weapons they have.”

They snuck inside. It was a small group of armed fools broken off from Intergang who no longer had access to weapons from Apokolips. They were simply moving a truckfull of ill-gotten cash.

They were sitting around in a barren space, acting chummy, talking about the new year and how much money they were going to make. Nearly twenty of them, some sitting on an uncomfortable looking green couch that looked like they picked it up from the sidewalk. The pallets of cash were behind them.

Damian jumped out in front, exposing himself. They all jumped up, gasping and shouting.

“That’s the guy I saw on the news!”

“The Titans are here!”

“How’d he get past Frank and John?!”

“Somebody shoot him!”

Their guns were aimed at him. Damian’s heart beat didn’t even accelerate.

There was no way his eyes could’ve kept up with it all. Soon twenty men were down to four, and those four left unarmed. Wallace was sat on the green sofa, looking down at the unconscious bodies, seeming just as surprised as the rest of the goons were.

“Who hit those guys?” he cried. The goons looked stupidly around for someone else.

“For fuck’s sake,” muttered Damian before leaping a flying kick into one of their jaws. He turned to punch another, but the other three were already down.

“How thick can you get?” wondered Wallace as he gazed at the knocked out fools.

“It’s a mystery,” commended Damian. “Good work, Flash.”

Wallace grinned.

~

After calling in the bust, they made it back to the tower just in time.

They removed their masks on the way up to the elevator.

Everyone was in the common room, all but Grayson and Kori in their uniforms, watching the New Year’s Eve parade on the big screen. Raven looked up at Damian, her face shinning.

“Fun night?” she asked as he reached her.

“Uneventful on my end,” said Damian a little louder than he normally would have, “I forgot it takes something of extraordinary measure to pose a challenge lasting longer than two seconds to Flash.”

A few of the others grinned at him over Raven’s head, but he kept focused on her.

“I can’t believe the tradition you guys have on this planet,” said Kara. “You lock lips every time a new year starts? Why?”

“It’s just an old tradition,” said Jaime. Damian hadn’t noticed it, but Traci was there with him on the sofa. They were now in the final sixty seconds of the year.

“A good one,” said Nightwing, wrapping his arm around Kori, who looked mellowed and soft.

“Well, it’s all been about new beginnings lately,” said Kara, a pitch higher. Did she just gulp?

“That it has,” Jinx purred, bringing her face inches to Garfield’s.

Conner, for the first time since Damian had known him, looked nervous as he sat close to Donna.

Kara looked at Wallace sideways without turning her head, who was watching the floor absently, obviously well aware of her. The countdown begun.

Damian was lost in Raven’s eyes again.

Donna turned towards Conner and looked at him. They shared a nice, warm look.

Wallace finally glanced back at Kara. She was pink in the face.

One.

“Happy New Year!” shouted Cassie and the television happily.

Damian locked lips with Raven passionately. He swore he would never get over how her mouth tasted.

At the same time, Kori and Grayson and then Jaime and Traci had intertwined the same. Jinx smushed her lips onto Garfield’s, who was trying not to smile and break apart their kiss.

Donna took the very first initiative and leaned forward into Conner who took her, their lips coming together perfectly, her hand on the back of his neck.

And the most surprising one was when Wallace and Kara both stepped forward the exact same time and smashed their lips together in a tenderfooted kiss of their own, eyes shut tight.

Damian and Raven broke apart while the celebrating was still going on, but remained close enough that their noses were still touching, the image in the other’s eyes worth far more than a thousand words.

And thus 2020 had come to an end. It had not been an apocalyptic year after all.


	13. The Legend of Khandaq

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the sample. It means so much to me that you replied. I love getting comments and feedback.  
> What I plan on doing is to carry on with all of the four-to-six chapter arcs that I was going to do, but try to add more seriousness and a bit of extra heavy on the situations. It's what I've attempted with this one. Please enjoy.

Raven opened her eyes blearily after the late night, her head resting against a now-familiar solid, warm mass.

“You do know you have an actual pillow?”

“I know,” Raven smiled against her boyfriend’s chest as his fingers made a circle on her bare shoulder delicately, “I’ve even named it Damian.”

He snorted and began trailing the tips of his fingers down her back. She moved her hand across his abs until her fingers ran across a scar near his left hip, right next to the dip of his v-line, that she oddly found very attractive.

“Where did this come from anyway?” she asked to sate her curiosity.

“A blade,” retorted Damian. Raven swatted his stomach.

“I was eight,” he said, starting to stretch underneath Raven, “that was when my grandfather began training me with everything he and mother had. This scar was the result of day two. I was too proud to use the pit to heal it completely…”

Raven picked her head up to look Damian in his sleepy face. “You’ve used the Lazarus Pit?” she gasped.

Damian frowned at her reaction. “I’ve told you that before.”

Oh. Right. He had mentioned it on rare occasions. Damian had used the pit to heal quickly from minor injuries, deep gashes, and broken bones so that way he could always resume training the next day. It also strengthened his body and bones to a degree. He had never… needed its full power.

“That’s quite the statement first thing in the morning,” she mumbled, lowering her head back on his chest.

She could hear him smile. “Do you plan on joining the world of the living today?”

Raven stifled a yawn. “No training today. I’ll get up when crimes do.” She could still hear the smile in his voice, though he did not say anything. He continued to run his hand along her back. She kept her eyes fractionally open as well, admiring his abdomen. He had _so many_ abs…

She heard the _ding_ that was the alert on his phone. She picked her head up as he leaned over and grabbed his device off the nightstand, reading it intently.

“Crime’s awake,” he said, tapping her on the back, “time to join the living.”

~

The assembly took place in the common room, in front of the big screen which now displayed a 3D map of Asia and a small image of Batman in the corner.

“The points are origins of unknown energy sources,” said Batman, obviously referencing the three red dots on the screen.

“They triangulate around Kahndaq,” noted Nightwing, “do we have any idea why?”

“Nothing that shows us enough to act on,” said Batman, “but members of Luthor’s Legion of Doom have been spotted approaching the signals. We have to move, now.”

“And what is the rest of the League doing with all of their free time, father?” inquired Damian.

“Superman and Green Lantern are investigating signals in space that have come too close to our solar system,” said Batman, “they seem to be technological, so most likely unrelated. Barry and Diana will be looking after the energy spike on the West end side of Khandaq while J’onn and I research the data.”

“The Titans will split into two teams and inspect the other energy sites,” said Starfire promptly. Batman nodded in approval and ended the transmission.

Kori turned to the team very seriously. “Nightwing and I will each lead a team. Raven, Robin, Blue Beetle, Kara, Donna, you’re with him. The rest of you, with me. Get what you need quickly. We leave in five.”

~

They stepped through Raven’s portal to the top of a hill on the outskirts of the city of Shiruta, Khandaq’s capital. Raven had already realized that though it was dawn in Jump City, duck was beginning to settle here. She viewed the fading light over the top of mosques and palaces the city seemed to consist of.

“It’s so pretty,” said Kara. Donna nodded.

“This is where the signal came from?” asked Damian, looking around. “There’s nothing here.”

“Robin,” said Nightwing, “have you ever been here before?”

Hands on his hips, Damian surveyed the city scrupulously. “No,” he said, “but grandfather spoke of it on occasion. There were stories of Khandaq that were old when he was still new of great power residing here. The same stories are told today with the same efficiency.”

“Ra’s Al Ghul never checked it out?” wondered Nightwing doubtfully.

Damian shrugged. “He said if they were true, the League wasn’t ready to take it yet.” He looked to his older brother. “Let’s get going.”

Nightwing nodded and looked back at the others. “Kara, stick to Donna like glue, okay?”

Kara nodded earnestly. Raven could feel her determination to not screw up.

They crept through the city where lights were dim, the long shadows cast by the large round buildings creating great cover. They couldn’t risk being spotted first by any Legion of Doom members. Walking silently, they kept as close to the buildings as possible.

“No sign of any of them this way,” said Nightwing in a low, tense voice. Raven looked up the next street around the corner. Though the city was widespread, it was so quiet that she was sure they’d be able to hear any trouble.

“Why _is_ it so quiet?” whispered Donna.

“I don’t know,” admitted Nightwing, who looked uneasy about whatever it could mean as well, “but something definitely doesn’t feel right. Everyone, stay sharp. Eyes up.”

“Well, there’s a lot of talking coming from the middle of the city,” said Kara uncomfortably. “It sounds like they’re all saying the same thing, but I can’t tell. I don’t know the language.”

Raven could tell Damian was trying to remind himself that Kara was new to this and to not be annoyed that this information wasn’t shared minutes ago.

“Thanks, Supergirl,” said Nightwing. “Can you hear the others? They should just be a couple of miles out west.”

Kara squinted as if that would help her. “ _Vaguely_ ,” she said. “They’re whispering too and-“ she suddenly gasped.

“What’s wrong?” asked Jaime, alert.

_“Wallace is talking about me!”_

Damian tsked in impatience and Nightwing said, “Now is not the time for that! And remember code names while we’re out in the field. Now guide us closer to the sounds you’re hearing. I’m sure Conner will do the same for them.”

They moved along quicker than before, though still checking corners in case a Doom member was lying silently in wait.

“Was Batman sure they’re here?” asked Jaime, disassembling his hand cannon after peeking around a corner to another deserted street.

The rest of them said nothing. This investigation was too easy, which meant it was certainly going to get much more complicated.

They were getting close to the heart of the city. Raven and the others could hear the people of the city now. They flew and leaped to the rooftops to further avoid just walking into someone, going silently from one to the next until at last they came upon a grand central clearing.

“What is this?” said Jaime, looking down with bewildered eyes as thousands of Shiruta’s people were standing close together, all circled around a very large mosque building, chanting the same words over and over again, some swaying as if it was a ritual. A large statue of a man was placed right outside the Mosque’s entrance, but Raven couldn’t tell if this was some deity they worshipped or an evil king of their past. The statue was carved with a very serious, gruesome face.

Some of the people were still trickling in slowly. The Titans kept low on the building top to stay out of sight.

“What are they saying?” whispered Nightwing to Robin.

“I don’t know,” Damian told him, “they’re not speaking Arabic.” He glanced at a lone man about Nightwing’s age coming into the clearing slowly, far behind the rest.

“Everyone, stay here,” said Damian. He pulled something out of his utility belt. It was very shiny. A lot like-

“I’ll be right back.” Before anyone could question him, Robin leaped off the building backward. Raven kept her eyes on him as he slowly approached the lone figure from behind and slapped a hand over the person’s mouth, keeping him silent.

“He’s going to be the death of me,” muttered Nightwing in a low groan. Jaime chuckled.

Damian turned the figure around, facing him, and presented the shiny object he’d pulled out of his utility belt. Raven had been right- it was a none-too-small chunk of gold. The man eagerly nodded and accepted it. He and Damian exchanged a few words. Damian’s head shot back in surprise, but he quickly recovered. After another moment, he turned the man back around, who quickly shoved the payment out of sight in his robes and walked away.

Robin was beside them again in another instant.

“What was that?” asked Raven curiously.

Damian smirked. “Something in case of social emergency. Payment for answers is the straightest path… sometimes.”

“I thought you didn’t speak their language?” Donna asked.

“Arabic is one of the common languages of Khandaq, but they’re chanting in the country’s oldest tongue,” explained Damian.

“So what exactly is going on?” asked Nightwing.

Robin looked very serious. “This mosque is a tomb. Whatever’s down there… they’re chanting a ritual to _keep it_ down there.”

Donna shivered. “Guys, this is _not_ the happy new year vibes I was expecting. Can we just reverse back to 2020?”

“Please don’t.”

Raven noticed Damian had an uneasy posture about him. She locked eyes with him.

“What’s wrong?”

“These stories. They’re the same ones my grandfather told me about.” He grimaced, turning his sight back on the mosque. “Long ago, a dictator arose from Khandaq’s commoners, a god in the form of a man that thousands of arrows could not harm. He destroyed the conquerors of his country in a blood bath and sought to rule the world with his power.”

“You think any of these guys have got popcorn?” asked Jaime seriously, looking out into the crowd. Nightwing and Donna both shushed him.

“So then what happened?” asked Raven, feeling as if this story was now severely relevant to what they were doing here.

Damian took a moment. “They were judged. A powerful spirit of vengeance was said to have come to Khandaq thousands of years ago and laid waste to the would-be god emperor of the world. It killed the god-man and burned all those who willingly followed him with the fires of Hell. But the power remained in the deceased corpse of the dictator, so the spirit then ordered the commoners of the city to bury him deep and seal him away for all time.” Damian paused, unbeknown to him letting the dramatic mood intensify. “If all of this myth is true, his corpse is right down there, locked away to this very day.”

“You think Lex would lead the Legion of Doom here based off an old tale?” asked Nightwing.

“You think he wouldn’t?” Robin raised an eyebrow. “If Luthor is still as obsessed with killing Superman as you, father, and I believe he is, harvesting the power of a god is his best shot.”

Raven frowned. She knew magic lingered in this countryside. That’s why her father’s old satanic followers built a temple just sixty miles from here.

“We need to get a closer look,” she said. “Obviously, the Legion hasn’t made any kind of move yet or these people wouldn’t be here.”

Nightwing nodded. “I agree. Let’s regroup with the others. Take us to them and we’ll come back after a couple of hours. I don’t want to get spotted when this crowd breaks up.”

~

Kori had evidently had her hands full trying to contain Conner and Cassie from flying off to be solo heroes. It became even more difficult after Damian shared the tale of Khandaq with them.

“But shouldn’t this be cause enough to fly straight down there now?” Cassie tried saying.

“To do what, exactly?” said Damian, sounding annoyed. “Break into a tomb? Look around? Slap a corpse around a bit? We’re here to keep Luthor away from potentially great power. Nothing else matters.”

Cassie looked pretty wilted. Raven knew if it had come from someone else, she wouldn’t have been so deterred. It annoyed Raven that she was still so openly tender for Damian.

But Starfire gave her a sad look while Nightwing looked at Robin.

“Well said.”

Robin didn’t respond. He was gazing out at the darkened city of Shiruta.

“It just feels like we should be doing something,” said Conner with a bite of impatience, standing next to his new girlfriend Donna.

“Turtle and the hare guys,” said Beast Boy, “turtle and the hare.”

“ _Tortoise_ and the hare babe,” Jinx corrected him, “but okay, yeah, profoundly wise.”

“I can keep running in and out of there,” Wallace suggested, “to keep a better eye on things and make sure none of the Doom goons pop up.”

“Good idea,” commended Nightwing. Wallace grinned, that exciting light in his eyes again. He was such a young, adventurous, and bold spirit. He twisted his body to the capital and vanished into thin air. A quarter of a beat later, he reappeared.

“Nothing,” he said, sounding disappointed, “I’ll check again in a few minutes.”

“If they’re here, where could they be?” wondered Jaime out loud.

“Hiding,” Damian said suddenly. Raven looked to her boyfriend who was now staring at the city even more intently with his mouth agape as if he missed something obvious. Then he said, almost to himself-

“They’re dressed as the fucking civilians.”

A majority of the Titan’s head snapped up. Nightwing looked furious with himself, realizing the incontestable truth.

“Damnit,” he said through gritted teeth, “ _Titans, go!”_

Raven took off at once, she, Kori, Cassie, Donna, and the two Supers not waiting for the others. They stopped in mid-air over the mosque that was a tomb. Wallace was already there on the ground, but hesitant as well. Dozens of citizens in robes surrounded the mosque, chanting.

If they were wrong about this…

“I’m such a damn fool,” snarled Donna. “I recognize that _stench!”_

She dove downwards like a bullet without any further words, nearly breaking the sound barrier on the way, heading straight for a particular robed civilian. If they had been a normal person, they’d surely be dead. Yet this particular chanter threw their robes off with less than half a second before impact, revealing a body of spotted fur that leaped high into the embrace. Cheetah and Donna collided, barrel rolling off the side.

“It’s the Titans!” shouted one of the front chanters. They removed their robe in one swift movement, revealing a frosty blue suit and a charged rifle-like weapon that he then pointed right at Wallace.

“Flash should’ve steered you away from me, junior!” sneered Captain Cold. “Bring it on!”

All of the chanters turned towards the rest of the oncoming team. Not disrobing, but pulling out well-hidden blades and preparing for a vicious fight. There was a rather chubby on in the front by Cold- Raven recognized the Penguin. Another one just as tall as them, though Raven just realized they’d been kneeling the entire time, rose to their full height: nearly ten feet. They pulled their hood back and revealed a pretty red-haired woman with a warrior’s face.

“Giganta, we’re outnumbered,” said Penguin, “Try to handle as much as you can. I’ll call in backup!”

Another lone figure, still in hooded robes, walked quietly forward to the sealed door of the mosque as if they didn’t hear anything else around them.

“We have to stop this before it becomes a warzone,” said Kori urgently, “we cannot let innocent people get hurt!”

Raven couldn’t agree more. She focused on encasing the sealed doorway in black magic, causing the robed figure to jump back. Cassie, Kori, and Supergirl all focused on the unknown big gun, the tall woman, as the rest of the Titans joined them.

“This is it?” said Jinx, her fingers and eyes lighting up dangerously with pink magic, “it’s almost gonna feel like we’re bullying them.”

“Do we play rock, paper, scissors to see who goes in?” Garfield asked.

“Dude,” Jaime scolded, “fight now, talk later. Come on!”

They engaged in battle with the swordsmen, Damian breaking off from the team line and leaping to the middle of the opponents.

“Because of course,” muttered Raven to herself. She kept her hand up, holding the energy surrounding the Legion of Doom’s immediate way in. With the other, she turned her attention towards projecting black shields around her teammates.

Giganta was very powerful. She was able to hold off Cassie well and was durable enough to take the energy attacks from Starfire, though she was looking more and more battered after each one.

Raven searched the crowd. Wallace was battling Captain Cold, and Superboy was attempting to help Donna, who was holding onto Cheetah’s wrists, her claws inches away from her face. She saw Conner going for her and was able to punch Cheetah away.

“No!” she shouted at her boyfriend. “I’ve got this! Help the others!”

Conner hesitated but didn’t accept that. He dove in, tackling Cheetah through a building.

“Damnit!” Donna cursed.

At least they’ll be joined soon. The rest of their team was cleaning up the goons with ease, breezing through the first two dozen. Damian was fighting five different swordsmen at once.

“Surrender!” Cassie yelled, throwing another at Giganta, who blocked it, but slid back several feet.

“Darling, you must not know what _tough_ really is,” the tall woman mocked her. Cassie looked livid. They continued to exchange blows, the taller of the two wincing heavily from Kori’s blasts, as Raven felt heat coming from her side. She looked over. The robed man was shooting yellow energy from his hands to Raven’s shield over the sealed door. She focused harder, but the energy shot was powerful. Before Raven could begin to give it her all, her shields broke with a loud bang.

The robed man looked up at her, the hood coming down, revealing a cocky Lex Luthor. He held up a small amulet.

“The power of Nabu,” he said, “handy for pesky annoyances flying around all of the time.” He held the amulet high over his head. It shot an energy beam high into the sky that fell back down in a wide circle around the building, creating a type of dome barrier.

“No!” Raven growled as she found herself on the other side of it. Lex Luthor now had nothing stopping him from walking straight into the tomb.

Raven landed and placed a hand on the barrier the amulet emitted, being shocked back. Donna walked up next to her, dragging Cheetah’s unconscious body. All around them, they had won. Cassie and Kori had toppled Giganta. Captain Cold was out cold, Wallace walking away from him, unharmed. The rest of the Titans had made light work of the scrap.

“You kids should’ve stayed at home. The Justice Dweebs should know by now you don’t send a teen to do a Leaguer’s job,” Lex taunted them. On his side of the barrier, he had himself, Penguin, several of their goons, and-

“Robin!” Raven muttered in realization, eyes going wide.

She and all of her teammates watched nigh helplessly as their sole comrade was stared down by a small barrage of enemies, one wielding an obviously powerful magical weapon.

“Well, if it isn’t you again,” sneered Penguin.

“The Wonder Boy, isn’t it?” said Lex without any real interest.

Damian glowered. “You have one chance,” he said, “surrender and put that amulet down before I chop your hands off and wear it as a trophy.”

“This guy,” said Garfield. He and Wallace were grinning. “If there was one person we needed over there to intimidate, this guy’s got us.”

Raven wasn’t satisfied. Her eyes flickered between Damian and the amulet in worry.

Lex smiled.

“You got spunk, kid. I think I’ll let you live,” he said confidently, “ _for now_.”

Damian charged and Lex held up the amulet. A bright flash of light emitted and Damian was halted, waving his head, blinded.

“Make sure he doesn’t disturb me,” Lex told Penguin. He turned back to the mosque and blasted it open with the amulet, calmly stepping inside.

“We have to get his barrier down,” said Nightwing, “now!”

“Good luck with that, Nightowl,” called Penguin. “None of you can get through that barrier. And now,” he set his sights on Damian, who was recovering, but still had his eyes shut tight.

“Kill the kid.”

_“No!”_ Raven yelled. The swordsmen goons all held up throwing knives and took aim at Robin. She felt the air sucked from her lungs.

But Damian straightened calmly. Eyes still closed, his left tucked away behind his back, his sword out. He radiated confidence. Raven recognized this as Ras Al Ghul’s fighting style from years ago.

The goons threw the knives with deadly precision and skill. Raven and the Titans watched as Damian moved inches to his left or right, dodging each one neatly, using his sword to slash the last one out the air without ever opening his eyes.

They all paused for a moment, Titans and goons alike, completely blank.

“What?” Penguin voiced.

Damian pointed his blade dead at him and snarled, “I was trained by Ras Al Ghul and Batman, you son of a bitch. You really think I can’t hunt you in the dark?!”

“He’s so cool,” said Cassie, looking longingly at his back.

“Fucking Bat-kids,” said Penguin. He looked to his minions. “Well? _Get him!_ ”

“Get through that barrier,” Damian said, before charging to meet their attack. His blade deflected off of theirs as he countered.

“Everyone,” said Kori, “focus on one particular spot. It may not fall easily, but it _will_ fall.”

Rave immediately leapt back and blasted the section right in front of her with black magic. It was joined with Starfire’s green energy blasts, then Jinx’s and Beetle’s. Conner, Kara, Cassie, and Donna all slammed a spot next to their attacks with their fists repeatedly, Conner’s knuckles bleeding from the magic sting of it. In moments, the construct shattered, and they were freed to pursue their enemies.

Raven immediately blasted the three swordsmen around Damian back. Energy shots from Kori and Beetle took care of the rest.

“How?” said Penguin, astounded. Nightwing punched him out cold.

“Come on, Cobblepot,” he said, “after all these years, you’ve got to be used to losing by now.”

“You okay?” Raven asked Damian as some of the others rushed inside. The corner of his eye was bleeding.

“Go,” Damian urged her, “we can’t let Luthor get unutterable power.”

“They’ll get him,” said Raven, brushing past that. She placed a hand on the side of his face as she heard blasts from inside the mosque, healing him. It didn’t take much of her energy. She felt so much more powerful now that she didn’t have to constantly restrain her father.

After a small moment, Damian opened his emerald eyes, and they found Raven. Though he had told her to go, he smirked anyways.

“Thanks,” he said. Raven smiled.

“You owe me one.”

Neither of them got to elaborate any more on that as right then the entire mosque shook.

“He’s got it!” Damian said surely, but Raven didn’t feel any new presence. The went to help their teammates, entering the tomb of a legend.

An old stairway seemed to go on forever. Probably six or seven stories underground. When they reached the end of them, they came upon a wide, open area, dark and cold and musty from thousands of years being sealed away from the daylight. There wasn’t a cobweb nor a rat in sight. The people of the ancient day had made sure no life would ever be able to seep its way inside.

The only light came from torches lit at the ceiling, like ancient chandeliers. Directly underneath was a large casket tomb made of heavy stone.

Though no one was around it, the top was slid off to the ground. Lex must have got very close indeed.

The main criminal in charge was on the ground, being tied up with his hands behind his back by Nightwing. Starfire twirled the amulet of Nabu.

“There’s a lot of power coming from this artifact,” she mused, “but it’s only a small portal to a much larger source.”

“You’re a fool Luthor,” said Damian, “this was going to get you nowhere.”

“Wasn’t it?” Lex Luthor questioned. He gestured to the tomb with a nod. Their eyes all found it, apprehensive and curious.

“Whaddaya think?” asked Jaime.

“Might as well take a look,” said Beast Boy.

“You’ll probably just wake it back up and piss it off,” Jinx told him.

Raven could feel Damian’s curiosity, though it was also evident on his face. He began to walk forward.

Nightwing and Starfire got there first, looking down into the grave. Kori gasped.

“No way,” said Nightwing.

Now they all had to know. Gasps followed one another like heartbeats as they all circled around the stone tomb. Raven and Damian were nearly last, and neither could believe their eyes.

He must’ve been a tall man. The skeleton filled the entire tomb from head to foot, hands to the side, head tilted back. It wore an undaunted black outfit and matching colored cape with a very familiar bright yellow lightning bolt going down its chest.

“Shazam,” whispered Damian. He looked baffled. “There’s more of them?” He looked around the empty mosque, perhaps hoping to find more clues.

“Can you imagine what that must’ve been like?” said Nightwing. “An evil Shazam flying around thousands of years ago when all men and women had to protect themselves were swords, shields, and arrows? They never stood a chance.”

“The stories Damian told us about said this guy rose up to defeat the conquerors of Khandaq,” Beast Boy reminded them. He was looking at the corpse still. “Guess he just didn’t stop there.”

“And something killed _him?_ ” asked Donna. She looked from the skeleton to Damian. “What do the legends say that did it?”

Damian just shook his head. “A spirit of vengeance. It was never given a name. Only feared beyond even what this dictator was.”

Raven studied the bones of the long lost Shazam intently. She was thinking of what she knew of the magical superman of their present era when she saw a bone finger twitch.

“Guys!” she gasped.

They all witnessed the skeleton began to twitch and move, the yellow blot on its chest beginning to glow.

“Kori, Donna, grab the lid,” said Nightwing, “everyone else, get back!”

Starfire and Donna each grabbed an end of the stone lid, lifting it effortlessly, intending to close him away again, but lightning suddenly shot from the chest of the corpse, whizzing past the Titans and up the stairs and away, as if it had a mind of its own.

“What the hell was that?” cried Beast Boy.

“Guys,” said Jaime, eyes widening as he looked back into the crypt. Raven looked with the rest of them as well and found herself momentarily stunned. There was now simply a skeleton, bare of any black suit embodying power.

“What did we do?” said Wallace. He, like a few of the other Titans, looked worried.

“Adam’s power has left.”

Every Titan whipped around. At the foot of the stairs was an old man, standing hunched over onto his walking stick. Old and decrepit-looking, as though age had wasted him away into skin and bones, the man of seemingly African descent wore nothing but a red robe over his shoulders like a blanket and a similar red cloth over his waist. Protruding cheek bones were over a scraggly long white beard. He had milky white eyes that were barely open.

“The power that was granted to Teth-Adam has left,” the old man said, “and it must be reclaimed by the only one who can, before it is forced into the body of one who would use it unwisely.”

“Who the hell are you?” demanded Conner. Raven tensed. There was a lot of power coming from this old guy.

His white eyes opened wider. “I am Shazam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think. I LOVE the story of Black Adam.  
> Also, I'm writing a new story with my good friend, Lavender Teacups! Skate Into Love! We're already working on chapter three for that one, so please, if you care to, go over and read it and let us know what you think! Stay awesome guys!


	14. No Need for Anything More Than Me... And You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a line in here that I halfway stole from the greatest comic book villain of all time. So if you come across it, yes, I admit to the crime. Ah well.
> 
> Enjoy.

“ _And I need your help._ ”

The milky white eyes of the old wizard Shazam lingered on them for a moment before turning and making his way expeditiously up the stairs, using his walking stick more out of a habit than actual need. The Titans looked after him, unsure of what to make of any of this.

“Guys, isn’t Shazam that guy in the red suit that stole Flash’s logo from the Justice League?” asked Jinx, placing her hands on her hips. “Did he age a lot, or something?”

Raven almost laughed. That’s something she would’ve expected Jinx’s boyfriend to say.

“Captain Marvel is a chosen champion of the wizard Shazam,” Nightwing informed. “It’s where he gets his powers from. Grab Luthor, we need to follow him.”

“Now everyone remembers me,” muttered Luthor bitterly.

“Shut up.”

“And keep your guards up,” said Starfire, “until we know for sure what’s going on, everyone brace for a hostile environment.”

Raven and the others nodded. Damian approved of her attitude on this. He was gazing at the stairway with his eyes narrowed dangerously.

They began to make their way out of the tomb, Kori and Nightwing leading the way. Donna grabbed the tied hands of Luthor and dragged him along effortlessly behind her.

“Will you watch it, you Amazonian abomination!” he cursed.

Instead of getting angry or offended, Donna just rolled her eyes. “Stop complaining. We didn’t even knock you out.”

“Should’ve,” muttered Conner. Raven almost smiled. But the tension of Robin having his hand on the hilt of his sword was throwing her off. He was ready for war all over again.

“We can’t vilify him because he gave the wrong man power,” said Raven to her boyfriend quietly. “This is the sorcerer that gave us Captain Marvel.”

“A deity careless with his power,” Damian said back, “my guards not dropping, Raven.”

And she knew that already. Hers wasn’t either. She kept her eyes on Kori and Nightwing’s backs as they reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into open air, making sure nothing attacked them.

No enemy approached them. Raven felt no hostility in the air, besides that coming from Lex Luthor and her boyfriend. But Damian visibly relaxed as they stepped out into the clearing. The wizard was standing there in front of the Flash and Wonder Woman, the team that was supposed to have been at the third location. Wonder Woman’s lasso was around Cheetah, Captain Cold, the giant woman, and Penguin. Flash was surveying the elder man and the scene of the battle.

“What… is going on here?” asked Flash. “Who is this guy? What _happened_?”

Nightwing and Kori explained it in turns. Their infiltration. The legends of Khandaq. How those legends were seen to be true and that the Legion of Doom had been after its power before the Titans stopped them. The mark of the wizard Shazam on the chest of the skeleton buried deep. How its energy left before they could reseal it.

The Wizard did not move a single muscles during the retelling. His eyes, however, curiously strayed to the Titans often.

Wonder Woman took her eyes off the wizard Shazam and back to Nightwing. She looked a little amazed.

“You all survived a full-scale battle with some of the Legion of Doom’s best members without a scratch,” she said, and that amazement was evident in her voice. “That’s impressive. I commend your warriors, Starfire.”

Kori was glowing proudly. Donna and Cassie both were as well.

“What held you two up?” said Damian. Raven wanted to nudge him with her elbow, but everyone was looking.

“We ran into a couple of baddies of our own,” said Flash. “Grundy, Toymaster, a couple of others. So, all-in-all, we pretty much rounded up the entire Legion of Doom again in one night.”

“It’s not even lunch time back home,” said Garfield. “I’m hungry.”

Jinx nudged him with her elbow, despite everyone looking.

“And then there’s you,” said Wonder Woman, returning her gaze to the Wizard again.

“Me,” said Shazam, nodding succinctly.

Wonder Woman looked hesitant to start. She shifted from foot-to-foot. “My mother has told me before that father used to speak of you, great wizard,” she said, “about your awesome power. But I must ask you… why are you here?”

“A story I shall share,” the wizard Shazam mumbled. “But not now, not here…”

Wonder Woman looked like she didn’t want to accept that, but said, “Very well.” She looked at Raven. “Would you be able to transport us all to the Hall of Justice?”

Raven looked around at the mass of bodies. There must’ve been thirty of them at least. A lot, but she was feeling stronger than ever the longer she was without her father. She glanced back at Wonder Woman and nodded. Diana smiled.

“Flash,” she said, turning to give her teammate her attention, “can you get Grundy and the other bodies to the Hall?”

“A thousand pound Frankenstein across the Pacific Ocean,” said Flash, “yeah, sure, of course I can.”

“Good,” said Wonder Woman, ignoring his sarcasm, “perhaps your companion can help you.”

“I got Toymaster,” said Wallace before speeding away. Kara giggled along with a few of the others. Flash groaned, but took off as well. They were probably halfway over the Pacific by now, Raven thought. She lifted her hands in the air and everyone huddled around her.

“Azarath Metrion Zinthos,” she chanted, and darkness took them all.

~

It was mid-afternoon and very busy outside one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world in the heart of Washington D.C- the Hall of Justice.

Fortunately, the building’s interior main floor was clear of anyone but a few workers. Raven, Wonder Woman, Shazam, the Titans, and the Legion of Doom captives landed softly on the marble floor.

“It’s so cool how she does that,” grinned Garfield.

“Kind of gives you a swooshing feeling throughout your body,” said Jaime.

“Wonder Woman,” said one of the workers. Diana gave them her gaze.

“Is Cyborg still here?” she asked them.

The worker nodded. “Batman as well. The Flash and Kid-Flash have just dropped off some members of the Legion of Doom at the back as well not twenty seconds ago.”

“Do we have to call him _Kid-_ Flash?” asked Supergirl with a puckered cheek. “How about, like, Quicksilver, or something?”

_“Quicksilver?”_ said Jaime in disbelief.

“Yeah, because he’s quick and his costume is mainly silver?”

“We can figure that out later,” said Damian impatiently. He looked to the worker. “Take me to my father. I need a word with him in private.”

“Yes sir,” the worker said. He looked like he wasn’t sure if he should bow or not. “He’ll be with Steve Trevor.” He hesitated again. “This way.” And turned around, walking briskly off before he could embarrass himself. Raven and Damian exchanged a small look before he followed him through the door.

“The rest of you,” said Wonder Woman, “apprehend the rest of these Doom members. Just like the specific protocols Batman formed for each one.”

“Lex Luthor?” gasped one of the female workers. “But he’s a member of the Justice League?”

“Obviously not anymore,” Wonder Woman said, her eyes narrowing harshly.

“I’ve been framed,” said Lex tonelessly. Donna smacked the back of his head rather hard.

As the workers began to drag them all off, pulling along the unconscious bodies roughly, Cyborg came in, looking surprised as Lex passed him in cuffs. He walked to Diana and the rest of the Titans.

“Need I ask?” he said.

“Just another day’s work, Victor,” said Wonder Woman. “Lex is after power to kill Kal-El again.”

“Nice work stopping him,” Cyborg said.

Wonder Woman shook her head. “The glory of victory lies with the Titans,” she said, shooting their group a proud smile. “They went toe-to-toe with the Legion of Doom’s baddest and prevailed admirably. And then _he_ arrived.”

They all eyed Shazam again. The room was now deserted of attendants and workers. It was just the two Leaguers and the Titans with him.

“I think it is now time we here what’s going on,” said Kori.

The old wizard sighed, almost curling into himself as he lowered his head. It was odd to Raven how he could go from seeming like a deity with a staff of power to an old, humble man who could’ve passed as homeless with a small movement of his body.

They all waited for him to start. When he did, he spoke slowly, and though it was a whisper, they head him very clearly.

“His name… was Teth-Adam. My first chosen champion of Earth. Teth-Adam was born a slave in Khandaq 3,600 years ago, in a time when my mankind were every bit the brutes my friend Zeus and the Amazonians thought they were. Enslavers and tyrants and rapid, lawless regions that had people and yet no society. I looked down at men and wanted it to end, but I could not intervene… and then I saw him. Someone with the will to do what needed to be done. I could choose him to act through… I could imbue him and we could work as partners, in a way, to cleanse the world of the tyranny it saw.”

The old wizard took a moment, as if to decide how best to phrase what happened next.

“I chose wrong,” he decided plainly. Raven, feeling the intense bitterness and sadness emanating from him, felt the need to speak up.

“You didn’t,” she said, seeing the bigger picture while everyone’s eyes turned towards her, “he did what needed to be done, at first. It is not on you that power corrupted his heart and mind. He had your wisdom to lean on. He did not have the wisdom to lean on it.”

The wizard studied Raven for a moment. “Thank you, my child… Once his work in Khandaq was done, far more violently than what I wished, he set his sights on the rest of the world. He detested other hierarchies, even ones that were gladly chosen and set by the commoners of their lands. When Teth started to become the very tyrant he once abhorred, his people called him something in their tongue that translated to _Black_ Adam.”

“This guy’s even better at telling stories than Robin,” said Garfield, looking mesmerized.

“Yeah, that’s a pretty chic name,” said Jinx, “I can get behind that.”

“Enough,” said Starfire vehemently. She turned back to the wizard. “Damian told us the legends said this Black Adam was destroyed by a powerful deity.”

“I have never heard of legends of such a power, not even while I was on Themyscira,” said Wonder Woman, “what lived thousands of years ago that could have destroyed a being equal to Shazam?”

“I daresay Adam was a shade stronger even,” the old wizard said. “He was stopped in his tracks that night, however. _Judgement_ had come for him. A spirit of vengeance far, _far_ more powerful than the likes of I or your father. I do not invoke its name. It ended Black Adam’s crusade that night, and I felt the fires burning from my home in the sky. It turned its sights on me, but decided that one day I was to be needed again.”

“A wise creature,” said Wonder Woman, “Shazam is a great warrior the world is lucky to have.”

The old wizard did not respond to Wonder Woman’s praise. He simply looked more tired as he stared at the floor, leaning on his staff. He inhaled a deep breath, let it out in a long exhale, and the sound seemed to fill the room as if it came from all angles.

He said, “It took me… a _very_ long time to be brave enough to choose another champion. Only when I was sure he could be stopped without deity interferences, or would be enough to stop others with his powers like his from becoming monsters, did I choose. I saw a young man with a generous heart, the will to do what was right, the magnificent intelligence to be more than fists and storm, and the mindset that he could indeed be more.”

Wonder Woman’s eyebrows were raised slightly.

“A generous heart and good will, perhaps,” she said, “but perhaps his mind could do with a bit more _magnificence._ ”

The corner of the wizard’s mouth twitched. “The one you know as Shazam is not of who I speak.”

This surprised Raven, and the rest of them, as well. Raven could tell feel the quick tension rise- what there another Shazam flying in the skies somewhere the world did not know about? The old wizard elaborated.

“I hope it does not dampen the confidence of the boy,” he said, “but _Billy Batson_ was not my first chosen champion of this modern era.”

Wonder Woman and Kori looked as bewildered as the rest of them.

“Then who?” asked Kori.

The old wizard jutted a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the metallic door. There was a beat of nothing. And then it opened, revealing a strong will, a magnificent mind, and a generous heart.

“Father will be here in moments,” said Damian, looking displeased, “he’s informing Superman of our latest discoveries.” He noticed them all staring at him oddly or in surprise. “What?”

“Robin?” Nightwing asked.

“Damian Al Ghul was the first one since Black Adam I strongly considered imbuing with my power,” confirmed the old wizard Shazam.

“Whoa dude,” said Jaime, “that would’ve been wicked. Probably a disaster, but wicked.”

“ _Jaime!_ ” reprimanded Kori.

Damian went to stand next to Raven again. “What kind of bedlam exactly did I miss?”

Raven explained quickly in short sentences. Damian’s surprise was less than that of the others. His control was reigned in before she even finished speaking. He glanced at the wizard Shazam.

“So,” he said, “I was your quintessence pupil. I can’t say that I’m surprised. So what stopped you from impeding unwelcoming on my life?”

Raven sighed.

The wizard studied Damian. It possibly could have been he was still wondering if he had made the right choice or not. “It was your grandfather. I saw you for who you were. But the corruption of conquering permeating your thoughts from his whispers… I could never have risked setting another Black Adam upon the world.”

Before anyone could respond, the metal doors opened again and Batman, Flash, and Wallace came through. As always, Batman’s eyes from behind his cowl scanned them all. He and the two speedsters walked forward, eyes locked on the wizard.

“Your son could’ve been Shazam,” Wonder Woman said casually with her arms folded as he walked up. Batman gave her an even stare. Raven couldn’t detect a hint from him.

“Enlighten me,” he said. Wonder Woman quickly filled them in. But before Batman could respond, Damian let his impatience get the best of him.

“So I wasn’t at once as altruistic as you would’ve liked,” said Damian, “what relevance does this would-be scenario hold at the moment?”

“Fair question,” agreed Nightwing, “we saw the power leave Black Adam’s body, but his skeleton remain. What do we do about _that_?”

“The story and the power leaving is one and the same,” the old wizard said. He was sounding even more tired. “I have left my home at the Rock of Eternity… I sought to understand humanity as I had before. I had spent three millennia away from them all. So I left my power and responsibility behind me to live amongst mankind after choosing Billy Batson as my champion and seeing that he was fit for the mantle. But recently, the Rock of Eternity removed itself from Fawcett City. Power absorbed into itself. It has vanished and I cannot find it. I’m sure the power of Black Adam has gone back to its depths. Which means there is a way to call it. The Rock of Eternity will willingly only reveal itself to one mortal,” he finished with a withered look straight at Damian.

“Call upon the power of Black Adam,” the wizard continued, “call my home. It will come.”

Nightwing stepped in front of Damian hastily, facing the wizard with an aggressive look. “That’s not something you do at the drop of a hat.”

“I agree,” said Kori, “we need to think about just what we’re getting ourselves into here.”

“Iunno, sounds like a good deal to me,” shrugged Jinx, but she backed away under Kori and Nightwing’s gaze.

“What if he doesn’t?” said Donna, looking worried. “Would there be anyone else who could find it? Your home, I mean? Would there be a way to pull out the power of Black Adam?”

“It would eventually be found,” Shazam nodded, “and it’s power can be drained from its core.”

“That makes it sound like you’re not giving Robin any choice,” said Cassie with an expression a lot like Grayson’s.

“So we should risk someone else getting this ancient guy’s power?” asked Conner, looking unimpressed. “Come on.”

“If Robin doesn’t want to, he obviously doesn’t have to,” said Wonder Woman. Raven had the feeling she was giving him more decision in it because Damian’s being Batman’s son. “The League can handle a rogue Shazam. We have his twin and five more members his equal.” Batman looked at her.

“And who would those five be?” Flash asked, crossing his arms

Wonder Woman avoided their eyes. “I, uhhh…”

_“Enough.”_

They all turned to look at Damian. Raven, the wizard, and his father most intently so. His eyes were hard on the ancient Shazam.

“You have a problem, you can fix it,” he said, the corner of his mouth turned down, “I’m not your puppet on a string. Solve it yourself.” Damian turned away, but glanced at Shazam over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed. “Choosing to be a god,” he said, “is _beneath me_.” And he left without another word to them all. Silence filled his wake as the metallic doors slid shut.

“Whoa,” said Wallace in amazement.

“He never disappoints, does he?” mumbled Nightwing.

Jinx looked at her boyfriend a little sadly. “Why can’t you be that cool?”

“Did you _really_ just go there?”

Wonder Woman looked at the wizard. “He’s made up his mind. He won’t change it.”

The old Shazam sighed, but this time much quieter, the way someone his age should sound.

“I pray he’ll never have to…”

~

That night at Titans Tower was a quiet one. After a long day of fighting, absorbing information, and dealing with League members, even the likes of Garfield just wanted to lay down and have a relaxed evening.

“You know I didn’t mean it.” Jinx was coddling him on the common room’s sofa. He leaned away, pretending to still be upset. “ _Baby!_ ”

Some other couples were having an even less fun time.

“No, that wasn’t okay!” Donna was angrily explaining to Conner. “I told you I had it. I don’t need a white knight when we’re out in the field.”

“We’re a team, Donna,” said Conner, just as aggravated, “you were the only one fighting somebody one-on-one. Whether it was you, Nightwing, Starfire, or even Beast Boy, I wasn’t going to let you be there by yourself.”

“She was _mine_ ,” Donna told him through gritted teeth. Conner sighed, knowing he wasn’t getting through this is in any easy way.

Raven watched Damian that night in their room closely. She couldn’t feel anything particularly unusual stirring in him, but he was being more silent than usual.

She lost track of her own thoughts a tad as he began undressing before going into the bathroom for his shower.

“Conner and Donna are having their first couple fight,” croaked Raven as his Robin trousers came down. He stepped out of them and threw them in the hamper, being completely bare besides his black boxer briefs.

“It was bound to happen sooner rather than later,” he said, then glanced at Raven as if he wasn’t sure he should say the next part, “she _is_ being rather unreasonable about it.”

Raven smiled for him. “I agree. She could’ve handled Cheetah, but we always fight together.”

Damian smiled as well. He glanced out at the twinkling city in the distance. Raven was starting to wonder if he was perhaps just lingering to tease her.

She had never thought of potentially having a partner one day when she came to Earth. She was content with just having a home forever. If she had, she don’t think a body type either way would have mattered to her. It was whoever your soul was drawn to. But perhaps it was that that led Raven to think Damian possibly had the most perfect form in existence.

“You’ve been watching me like a hawk all evening,” said Damian abruptly, turning back to her with a crinkled brow, “are you worried I’m going to suddenly call on Black Adam’s powers?”

“Not at all,” said Raven, grateful he didn’t catch where she was staring, “I know you meant it when you said you didn’t want to.”

“It wouldn’t be me,” said Damian, staring hard at the ground.

“I doubt anything could stop you from being you,” Raven told him. She went to his side and Damian instinctively wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him with a hand on his chest and their eyes met.

“I’ve almost lost myself before,” he murmured unsatisfactorily.

“You were eleven when Talon tried swaying you,” Raven reminded him. “Your every action is not who you are now.”

Damian turned his face more towards her and their noses touched. Raven closed the distance between their lips. Everything about them fit perfect together. After a few kisses, Damian took a deep breath in and reluctantly inched their lips apart.

“I have to shower,” he said, swallowing.

“You’re fine,” said Raven quickly, pulling him back in for more. They backed up, toppling onto the bed, him over her, kissing with more passion. Damian’s hand ran up her side, making her curl her leg up, until it found the red clasp at the front neckline of her cloak and undid it. Raven pulled it out from under her, tossing it to the ground. Her hands found his muscular back, desire lighting every cell in her body.

Damian separated them again and Raven loved the look in his eyes. “If it gets too much-“

“More kissing,” sighed Raven, pulling him back in with a hand around his neck. His hands roamed her thighs as her other played with the waistline of his boxer briefs, wanting them off more than anything. Her fingertips began to press underneath the folds of the expensive, silky cloth as his kisses pecked along her chin to her neck.

She wasn’t sure if it was alright. For the first time while they were entwined in bed, she had enough focus to glance around the room. Not a wisp of her magic anywhere, destroying her mirror or the priceless Da Vinci.

“There’s no one I have more faith in than you,” Damian whispered in her ear.

Raven moaned and dispelled away the rest of her leotard attire. Damian’s eyes went wide and his kisses faltered as he looked upon her body, only dressed to the same extent as his was (she never wore a bra underneath that thing, it was so tight already). He’d seen her chest before, but only glimpses. She didn’t come to bed topless as he did. Damian swallowed hard, his green eyes blazing, as he resumed kissing her.

Her hands quickly went down the chiseled abdomen he had to the waistline of his boxers again, hesitating only a moment before beginning to tug them down. When he was free, her hand gripped him. She’d never felt the smoothness of it. Only the size some mornings against her hip as they woke up with their arms around each other.

Damian had to stop kissing, panting as she rubbed him. His mouth found her shoulder and it seemed as if he was trying to keep from groaning too loud. Raven looked down at her hand working him, feeling more erotic than she ever had.

They were kissing again as his hands roamed her, fiddling with her own underwear. She yearned for him to return the favor. Hooking his long fingers at the thread at her hips, he pulled downwards. Raven sighed with ecstasy as they ended up around her ankles and Damian kissed down her stomach. Nervousness and excitement was beating her heart like a drum.

Damian pulled her underwear completely off and threw them carelessly across the room. She placed a hand tenderly on his cheek as he came closer. They were face to face, staring into each other’s eyes before glancing around the room in all directions.

“I’m in control,” breathed Raven. Damian’s mouth found hers again as her legs came up, spreading them a little wider.

It took a second. He was focused on kissing her and positioning himself at the same time. Her lower abdomen clenched in anticipation as she felt the head of it rub along her entrance. He began to push into her, their mouths open and gasping together. His eyes flashed to hers as he entered with nearly the full length, examining her reaction.

Raven bit her lip. It was more painful than she thought it would be, but absolutely in good way. Her eyes found his again and she nodded. Damian began moving in and out of her at a slow pace. She loved the way his body shook. She could feel he loved how much her inner thighs shivered.

Rocking hips eventually led to low groans and moans. Raven’s heart was exploding. Damian tucked his face into her neck and she cradled him there, never wanting him to move again. His pace began picking up even more and Raven felt her release coming.

“Damian,” she breathed in his ear, “wait for me. Wait for me.”

He gulped and she strangely found that attractive. She was in love with every movement of his body, it was ridiculous. Raven’s legs wrapped around his waist completely as she tried to tilt her upwards into him. She could hear their smacks and everything was nirvana.

Damian thrusted one last time, bucking into her further, and Raven clasped a hand over her own mouth to stop her loud moan from escaping as they both released. She could feel his finishing inside of her. She knew he could feel her finishing on him.

Both panting heavily, he pulled out of her and fell on his back, an arm still finding its way around her. She leaned into him, her arm draping across his chest and her chin resting on his shoulder. Damian gazed at her sideways with a look in his eyes she’d only seen maybe once before; the moment they confessed.

“Damian,” said Raven, without a doubt in the world, “I… I love you.”

Damian’s eyes widened. He said nothing, but brought his temple to hers, their noses nuzzling together, before kissing her with a passion that melted her all over again.

Two twisted birds. Finding each other without knowing at all what they were looking for. Or even knowing that they were looking at all. Each other’s sweetest friend. Two halves that perfectly fit. What could be better than the life they now had?

Who could possibly beseech them this?


	15. The Rock of Eternity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two months ago, I started this fanfiction. Now, we have more words than the first Harry Potter novel. That is absolutely crazy to me.  
> Shout out to my Twitter chat, DamiRae 2.0. Without them, this story would not exist. You guys rock.

Raven stirred in her blankets shortly after dawn. The thin mink colored bedsheets were twisted around her body like a cocoon and for a moment she worried this left Damian laying there without any warmth.

She opened her eyes and found his side of the bed completely empty.

_Oh…_

She stared at his vacant pillow. She hadn’t felt him leave. Raven turned her gaze to the ceiling instead. He was usually up before her, never able to sleep in a wink past dawn, but she had just thought…

The door slid open slowly. Raven picked her head up and saw Damian coming in with a small tray laden with teacups and small pastries. His eyes caught Raven’s as she moved to sit up in bed.

“Hi,” she smiled. She let the blanket fall to her lap, comfortable with her nudity around him.

“Good morning,” said Damian. The hint of a smirk touched the corner of his lips as his eyes flashed briefly down from hers and back up again. He laid he tray on the open bed in front of her.

“You know Kori doesn’t like the team having bread this early,” said Raven, admiring the éclair.

“But you do,” said Damian. He picked up one of the teacups and took a long drink.

Raven cut into the éclair and eagerly popped it into her mouth. The pastry cream was delicious, much more so than the usual ones she had. She smiled as this made her realize something.

“Did you make this from scratch?” she asked, an edge of laughter to her voice.

Damian smirked into his cup. “I’ve been up for an hour and a half. I figured I might as well add another tab to my skill set.”

Raven snorted. He seemed so pleased with himself. Following breakfast in bed and quick showers (not together unfortunately, as Raven was still sore), it was nearing the time the rest of the team starting waking, so they dressed in their Titan attire and made their way down to the common area.

Wallace and Kara were there already, both dressed in their hero attire as Kid-Flash and Supergirl. Wallace was showing her how to play chess, something Damian and Raven both taught him, and Kara was looking at her white pieces with a mystified expression. When she glanced up and caught Raven’s eye, her face glowed red and she knocked over the entire board trying to move her Knight.

Oh, no… Sweet Azarath, no.

“Okayyyy, or if you think you’re losing you can always do that,” said Wallace. He looked up. “Hey guys. I thought y’all would be down already.”

“We were having breakfast,” said Damian with an undertone of embarrassment in his voice. He clearly noticed Kara’s awkwardness as well.

“Well, you guys mind helping me explain chess?” Wallace asked. “I tried to get Kara into video games, but she wasn’t really feeling it.”

“Nope, its fine,” said Kara in a cracking, high octave voice. She stood up, still avoiding their gaze. “I’ll just find something to read again until training.”

“But I thought you said you wanted to find something to do together,” said Wallace in confusion. But Kara was already speeding away, at a walk as fast as any human running.

Raven grimaced, turning to Damian. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

“We’ll have to talk to her,” she said. Robin hadn’t looked this worried in a long time.

“Or,” he offered, “I could get Conner to help control her senses and avoid other people’s private affairs.”

“If only Conner knew how to do that himself,” a voice behind them said.

They turned around to see Superboy standing there with his arms folded, a wicked, crooked smirk on his face, and a knowing gleam in his eye. He was nodding for no reason at all while he gazed at them.

“How you two doin’?” he said, beginning to laugh.

Raven hid her face as Damian groaned in aggravation. Wallace came up to them with a curious expression.

“What’s going on?”

_“Nothing!”_

Raven glanced out of the common area’s window and saw Kori flying in. Training would resume today and she hoped she got to take some of her inflamed embarrassment out on Superboy in a punishing way.

~

The next few days passed wonderfully in Titans Tower. Though training had been more difficult, Kori pressing them harder and harder as they now practiced in different rotations all the time, there was a great level of joy being had.

Jaime and Traci had gone on their first double-couple date with Garfield and Jinx. Jinx told Raven that Garfield was far too loud to take out to a public dinner table ever again, but no one missed the mirth in her eyes.

Kara and Wallace, though skating around the fact whether they were in a real relationship or not because it _was_ just a traditional NYE kiss, ended up spending a lot of time together. Kara spent as much time with him as she did with Conner or Cassie, who she began forming a bond with similar to Raven with Kori or Donna.

Damian also found her addition to the team appealing. She was often speeding around him in the kitchen, giving him a hand around the stovetops and cutting boards. The Titans, though still unhealthily eating pizza twice a week, ended up sitting down for a home cooked meal together at least one evening of the seven-day cycle, usually on Sundays.

Raven found her control for those moments at night and was in bliss for it. She loved that, despite his maddening control beforehand when they couldn’t, that Damian now had a singular train of thought at nighttime when they laid down. There was a terrifically excited look in his eye when Raven pulled him into the shower for the first time.

It was a sunny morning about a week later when they heard anything more on the old wizard Shazam and his Rock of Eternity.

“The Rock of Eternity appeared briefly above Metropolis late last night,” said Nightwing. They were all standing around in the training facility, right before any action had commenced. “Storms seem to follow its wake. Before Superman could get too close, it vanished out of nowhere.”

“The wizard Shazam has not found a way to track it?” asked Kori worriedly. Nightwing shook his head.

“Isn’t this why we have the Justice League Dark?” asked Conner loudly. “For magical situations just like this? How can John Constantine and that Zatanna babe not track a powerful source like this one?”

“ _Zatanna babe_?” growled Donna. Conner flinched back.

“They’re all busy with their own problems,” Nightwing told them. “Circe is stirring up trouble in the underworld. As we’ve apprehended most of the people looking for Black Adam’s power anyway, that takes precedence.”

“So everyone stay alert,” advised Kori, “we may be called into action at any time.”

They all nodded before resuming their training, most glancing briefly in Damian’s direction. Raven fought a small urge to give them a quelling look.

“All right everyone, today we’re working on tagging speedsters,” Kori announced, “Wallace get ready. Don’t hold back.”

~

Raven spent the next gloriously sunny afternoon meditating in her room, focusing on leveling out her emotions and balancing all the new strength she seemed to have following her father’s absence from her mind.

Damian had gone out with Nightwing patrolling for the first time of the New Year. A part of him had felt guilty about not being more attendant to the men and women in need of Jump City, but the majority of his mind still wanted to stay.

“Go,” Raven had convinced him, “they’re going to start calling us hermits if we never leave the room.”

And so, he had left, giving Raven ample time to work on her powers.

Until there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” called Raven. The door slid open to find Kori standing there in her off-shoulder purple sweater and black leggings.

“Hey,” she said, “Donna and I were going to go out shopping. I was wondering if you wanted to come?”

“That sounds great Kori,” said Raven, dissipating the energy around her and landing her feet on the floor again, “I’ll be right down.”

~

“So you two made things official after that?”

“Yes,” said Donna, still looking annoyed, “but I swear, he still _looks_ at other girls constantly. You know yesterday I caught him glancing at Jinx’s backside?!”

“That’s not Jinx’s fault,” said Kori rather quickly.

“Of course not,” Donna agreed, “it’s _one thousand percent_ Conner’s fault. He drives me crazy!”

Raven frowned. “Conner would never do anything. He’s still just learning how to be entirely… respectful.”

She had wanted to say _mature_ , but decided to be respectful of the manner.

The three heroines were at the Jump City Galleria Mall. The largest by far around. Four shopping levels high, it was a wonderful atrium with a glass ceiling view of the sky. Raven and the other girls were walking around the fourth level up, discussing men and what to shop for next, a favorite pastime of Kori and Donna’s.

They were getting many glances as well. Starfire and Raven particularly stood out in any crowd. She saw amazed faces as many people of the packed crowds took them in, some recognizing them as the local heroes, the Titans. One lady had to stop her children from running over and getting their autographs.

“Aw,” Donna had said, “I would’ve signed it.”

“Would any of you ladies like a pretty necklace?” said one of the oily vendors camped out in the middle of the walkway. His eyesight was dropped below Donna’s neckline.

“Maybe a pretty necklace, not _that_ ,” Donna shot back, closing the front of her ivory winter coat. She was dressed simply, like Kori, but, like Damian, Donna had the distinct gift of throwing on any commonly worn item like jeans and a jacket and appearing like she was ready for a catalog shoot compared to the rest of them.

Raven had gone with a spider-black leather biker jacket with a zipper to the side that she had, leggings, and black ankle boots.

“Some people, I swear,” she muttered darkly as they made their way past him.

“Ignore it,” said Kori, though she was still throwing the vendor a nasty look behind them, “back to what we were saying before.”

Donna sighed tiredly. “I don’t know, girls. I’m not sure there’s anything I can actually _do_ about it.”

Raven frowned at her. That wasn’t right. She shouldn’t have to _do_ anything at all.

Donna looked back at Raven with a bittersweet smile. “You’ve got it lucky. I’ve never seen Damian even glance at another girl.”

A particular word caught Raven. She and Damian had been together less than two months.

“Never?”

They stopped in front of a certain store, but before entering, Donna was glancing back and forth to Kori and Raven, who were both looking at her.

“Yeah, I mean, when has Damian ever willingly checked out another girl?” asked Donna to them. “He’s only ever had eyes for Raven, ya know?”

“I had never actually noticed,” said Kori, with her hands on her hips.

Donna looked like she wanted to laugh. “Oh, what, really? I thought it was the obvious thing of the Tower that no one just talked about.”

“What do you mean?” asked Raven, starting to smile herself.

“Raven,” said Donna, “you and Damian were trading missed glances ever since I _got here_. And you giving him a puppy right after I arrived, well, that’s a pretty solid girlfriend-boyfriend move.”

Raven pondered that as Kori shot an amused look at Donna.

“So,” she said, “if all that is true, why were _you_ going to ask him out all those times in your first year?”

“Let’s just keep shopping,” Donna said hurriedly, her face flushing at the memory. Raven and Kori chuckled before following her.

Maybe it should have surprised her, Raven thought, but it hadn’t. She really only felt something akin to bittersweet as she thought of all the time they had potentially wasted because of their shyness.

She pulled herself out of her head as she glanced up and found herself surrounded by lacy bras and panties.

“Donna-“

“No, no, no,” Donna chimed, “come on, we’re doing this.”

“ _You_ are doing this,” Raven corrected her. Her face didn’t flush as she appraised the seductive underwear sets, but she certainly wasn’t entirely comfortable with them.

“This is beyond me,” she said.

“Nothing is beyond Raven of Azarath,” said Donna, grinning. “Come _on,_ what’s it hurt to look?”

Raven looked at her hopeful face and sighed, allowing the Amazonian to lead her further into the store’s depths.

They found Kori inspecting a scandalous red set with black trimming.

“It feels so smooth,” she said, running her fingers along the bottom’s material, “I wonder if they have it in my size?” She waved down a friendly worker with entirely too much makeup on, Raven thought, and then kept probing through the displays.

“Dick loves thongs,” said Kori, way too casually, “and I like the freer feeling myself. Something like this one, and he goes crazy if I just wear a babydoll over it.”

“I haven’t really gotten the feel of what Conner likes,” said Donna, focusing hard, “I tried a corset out the other night when we were on the rooftop, but his eyes didn’t _really_ pop until I was out of it.”

Kori smirked at her. “The _roof?_ ”

Donna didn’t really look embarrassed. “I like the view and the outside!” She turned to Raven with a devious smile.

“What does _Damian_ like?”

Raven stared back at her dead-pan. “He likes when I’m naked.”

The other girls laughed.

“Have you not noticed what tends to get him more in the mood?” asked Kori. “I figured being an empath would give you more of an advantage with that.”

Ah, shit. Even Kori was starting to question her. Raven felt a little uneasy.

“I don’t know,” she confessed, “whenever we start kissing at night, I just… dispel my leotard.” She looked back at the lingerie.

“Oooo,” said Kori.

“Now _that’s_ a handy gift to have,” grinned Donna.

Raven smiled weakly, still inspecting the set before her. A black sheer mesh slip on. It was entirely see-through. She didn’t know. Should she get some lingerie? She couldn’t see it not enticing Damian. Though, she supposed, there was a chance it could throw him off by her efforts of trying to improve their bedroom moments alone.

“Finally,” said Donna, “I can _hear_ her wheels up there turning.”

Raven and Kori both snorted. Raven turned her attention to some of the high-waisted underwear sets.

“Fine,” she grumbled, “I’ll grab something.”

Donna finally looked satisfied. She picked through some of the skimpier sets with Kori as Raven felt bold in checking out with a garter set that consisted of underwear far too lacey to think about on.

They did quite a bit more shopping, helping Raven feel less light-headed after the lingerie store. Donna went in to a gaming store and made a pre-order purchase for Conner of some new gaming console coming out. Kori called Dick while they were in another electronics shop and they talked about details of something before she finally picked out a new 8k television, asking the employees to deliver it to their apartment. Raven went ravenous in a new book store that had not been here the last time she visited.

“It’s a _wonderful_ adventure,” the elderly lady running the bookshop was telling Raven about the sixth book she grabbed, “a fairy tale of a dashing princess finding her own destiny, sailing out in the ocean and finding and rescuing a handsome young prince.”

“I’ll take this one as well,” said Raven happily. Her eyes flickered over to Donna inspecting a well-made chess set for sale. Kori was reading a lifestyle magazine.

“How about lunch?” asked Kori as they left.

“Sure, you got anywhere here in mind?” asked Donna, both her hands full of lingerie and chess-set merchandise.

“Jaime told me about a new place he and Traci tried out here,” said Kori, “it’s a café. I’d like to try it. Would y’all mind?”

They didn’t have anything against cafes, so they gave it a shot. On the third floor was the food court. Passing the wonderful smells of pizza, stir-fry, and sushi, they came to a little spot nestled in the corner that was definitely new to Raven.

“The Golden Goose,” read Raven.

“Looks nice,” commented Donna. And it indeed was. It had an almost rustic interior with a lovely wood flooring and round, white-cloth tables, and beautiful flowers around. There was gold lining on the breakfast bar and stations.

There was a cool looking tattooed barista with short, candy apple red hair that Raven liked waiting to take their order at the counter.

“Hello ladies,” she greeted them, smiling widely, “my name’s Eza and I’ll be your barista today.”

“Hello Eza,” greeted Kori, reading the menu on the black board above her head, “how is the Egyptian Rose latte?”

“To die for,” said Eza, “even comes with a date on the side.”

“Not the kind you have to explain to Dick later I hope,” said Donna. “I’ll take the… espresso? Expresso? What is that?”

“Just a double shot of espresso with a little bit of pumpkin,” Eza shrugged, “we’re quirky like that.”

“Lavender tea,” said Raven. Eza nodded and Raven covered the tab. They sat at one of the tables by the wall, a large photograph of a goose next to them. They stared at it curiously.

“That’s my old hockey team’s mascot,” said the barista Eza, setting down a small plate of complimentary parties on their table, “the _Mighty Geese!_ Her name was Ana. She’s still there for the next generation. She’s had the longest life span of any goose there’s ever been.”

“How nice,” said Donna, smiling. Eza lingered at their table a moment longer, obviously dying to say something.

“Can I just say what a huge fan I am!” she squealed. “You ladies are the _coolest_ heroes ever. My girlfriend and I love you guys. And I have a friend who loves Batgirl so much that she _spits fire_ whenever anybody bad mouths her.”

“Thank you so much,” said Kori, a little misty-eyed, “your safety is why we do it, but it’s good to know that there is some appreciation for us and the other heroines out there.”

Eza looked positively delighted as she went back to work on their drinks.

“It’s always gratifying to get out and about and hear from our people,” said Donna, glowing.

“You’re starting to sound like Garfield,” said Raven. They all chuckled.

Sometime shortly after Eza brought out their lattes and drinks (which were delicious), they noticed a gathering of people all looking up outside of the café.

“Weird, innit?”

“This wasn’t in the forecast at all today.”

“Man, I’m gonna get _wet!_ ”

“Huh?” said Donna. “It’s raining? That came about fast.” They all stiffened. Raven said what they were all thinking.

“ _Unnaturally_ fast.”

They each shot up immediately, ready for action.

“Eza,” said Raven to the barista who was bringing them another round of complimentary sweets, “we may be needed. Could you hold our bags behind the counter until we return?”

Eza nodded. “Of course.”

The Titans flew out of the café, causing gasps and excited yells.

“ _They’ll save us!”_

“From what, doofus? Melting in the rain?”

“Will you STOP staring at Starfire so much?!”

Once they were out and over the mall, the girls each glanced in all directions. The rain wasn’t falling hard enough to deter their eyesight, but it was dropping with more force every second.

“There!” Donna yelled. She was pointing out to the bay.

Raven glanced that way. And there it was. An enormous slab of rock, the size of a many homes put together, and the shape of her father’s shard, floating several stories high in the sky.

“Starfire to all Titans,” Kori said to her communicator, “meet us at the bay! The Rock of Eternity has revealed itself.”

“Hopefully they’ve already spotted it,” said Donna. “I mean, you can see it from our living room.”

Raven didn’t say anything. It was right here, next to him. Was it a coincidence? Was the power of Black Adam looking for him? She was watching the streets far more than the Rock itself, starting to go mad with worry. She used her emphatic prowess to try and find his unique sort of resolve and determination.

And there he was. At the bay’s docks.

“Kori,” called Raven loudly over the pouring rain, “Nightwing, Robin, down there!”

Starfire nodded. They flew downwards, searching until they found them, their backs to the girls and the city as they looked out at the Rock of Eternity. Damian didn’t turn even as they landed right next to them.

“Dick,” said Starfire, sounding relieved.

Nightwing turned to her. “Kori, have you gotten ahold of the others?”

“I contacted them,” she said, “they know to be on stand-by.”

“Some of them should be here by now,” said Donna, and Raven knew she was thinking of Conner, “they’re faster than freaking light-speed!”

Raven walked to Damian’s side. He kept staring at the Rock of Eternity.

“There’s no way in,” he said, “I don’t see any openings at all.”

Raven inspected it as well. He was right.

“I can try to teleport us in,” she suggested, “but its difficult if I’ve never seen where I’m going before.”

“Should we wait?” Nightwing asked Starfire. “If the others get here take any longer to get here, we could lose it.”

“And if we go now, they’d have no way inside,” Kori mused, thinking hard. She wasn’t satisfied with either scenario. She turned to Raven.

“Open a portal,” she said, “the five of us will have to do. We can’t risk losing this opportunity.”

Raven nodded. She lifted a hand, thinking of moving them all inside the building in the sky she was looking at. A portal formed.

“Everyone through,” she said. Damian glanced at her before being the first one. She followed right behind Donna, the last one to go.

They came into a very dark clearing, a lot like a massively large and empty vault room. Torches on every other column kept the place from being completely pitch black. Only the crackle of the fires and the dripping from their wet clothes were the only noises made.

“Check it out,” whispered Nightwing. Dead in front of them were seven stone thrones on a raised platform.

The one on the far right was glowing with a dim blue light.

Black Adam’s power, ready to be taken by he whoever claims the throne.

“What exactly was our plan?” wondered Donna, placing her hands on her hips.

“Raven casting a portal so one of us can walk back to the Hall of Justice,” said Damian, thinking quickly, “grab the old wizard and lead him back here so he can finally make himself useful and we’ll be done with this.”

“Well said,” smiled Nightwing.

_“It does sound like a good plan.”_

The five Titans turned as a new portal of blinding white light appeared. Lex Luthor stepped through it.

“Unfortunately, unlike your father, you don’t plan for any hiccups,” he grinned tauntingly. “I knew keeping tabs on you would lead me straight to it, Robin. All I needed was that last little piece of information, like _who_ was the power pre-ordained for by that old fool.”

“You’ll never get your hands on it, Luthor,” said Starfire, raising a glowing green hand. “You’re no match for any of us.”

“My dear, I don’t bother with light weight,” said Lex. “That’s what I have _them_ for.”

Behind him, Black Manta, Scarecrow, Killer Frost, and Weather Wizard emerged.

“That ought to even the odds,” said Lex dismissively. He turned to his team. “Keep the portal open. We don’t need to linger. I’ll grab the power for myself and we’ll be out of here.”

“You really think taking that power for yourself will make you invincible, imbecile?” said Damian. “The old gods all died. You’d just be next in-line.”

Lex snarled his way. But his team had enough of talking. Killer Frost sent a deadly shard of ice flying faster than a bullet at Damian’s head that Raven deflected.

“Take care of them quickly!” yelled Starfire. She met Black Manta’s energy blasts with her own.

They began partnering up and the dances begun. Killer Frost came at Raven with murder in her intent, but Raven was able to easily counter her strength. Killer Frost’s power had limits. Ravens had none.

Nightwing took his sticks out and danced with Scarecrow, who was spraying his toxic gases and whipping around a hook on a chain, trying to catch Dick in a deadly fishing game, but to no avail. Nightwing was quickly gaining the upper hand.

Weather Wizard nailed Donna with lightning and laughed as though he had just tasted easy victory, only to be quickly quelled as Donna rotated her shoulders.

“That _tickled,”_ she growled. She speed forward straight into a dive and tackled Weather Wizard straight into the wall.

Killer Frost knew she was being bested. She began throwing frozen shards in all directions, trying to divert Raven’s attention. She very narrowly saved a shard from hitting Damian’s back as he sprinted out in front of Luthor, and another from hitting Nightwing in the chest. Nightwing then delivered a roundhouse kick upside Scarecrow’s head.

“Age must be getting to ya buddy,” he taunted his downed foe, “either that, or all the injuries you got from every time Batman kicked your ass.”

Killer Frost now looked frantic and missed her targets. Raven threw a jet of black energy and caught her square in the chest, knocking her backwards and seemingly unconscious against the wall.

Raven observed Killer Frost on the floor. She had never felt such an intense desire to kill before, save perhaps her father. It was almost unnerving…

She looked up and saw Damian handling Luthor. It seemed Lex was not without skill, but there was perhaps four people on the planet with more martial arts abilities than Damian, and he was related to three of them. Lex glanced back at his downed team for help and adopted a livid expression.

“Useless!” he roared. Damian delivered a roundhouse to his head similar to how Nightwing did to Scarecrow. Perhaps that was a favorite move of their fathers.

“Tie them up,” said Starfire. She was grasping her left shoulder, but otherwise looked fine as she stood over Black Manta. “And someone hurry up and close that portal before any more come through.”

Raven looked at their own portal they made, probably through scientific means. Damian stood in front of it and Raven felt his curiosity.

“This could lead back to their lair,” he said, examining it, “could be useful to peek through.”

She was fast. She was so fast.

“Take a look then!” they all heard.

Killer Frost had not been knocked out. She had been biding time for them to drop their guards. She lashed a hand out, far too close to Damian, far too fast.

The shard zipped through Damian’s chest, right where his heart was. The cut was so clean there was hardly a spray of blood. Damian’s expression was that of surprise.

Raven’s own heart felt as though it were dipped in ice as her hood fell back and she screamed a in a voice unlike she had ever done before.

_“DAMIAN!”_

He looked at her as they all began to move from their state of shock. But he fell backward, through the white portal, and it closed behind him.

Closing the moment the first person made their way back through. Lex had obviously meant to leave his Legion of Doom behind all along.

“No!” Starfire screamed, rushing to the spot it had just been. All the while Killer Frost laughed in a nastily high-pitched voice.

_“You!”_ Donna cursed. She delivered a barely restrained blow to the top of Killer Frost’s head that nearly split her open. It wouldn’t kill her. But there would be permanent brain damage.

“Where is he!” Nightwing screamed in the face of Lex Luthor. He had his hands on his collar. “Where?!”

“Ah, ouch, I don’t know,” said Lex, unconcerned, “It’s a moving ship, I don’t know it’s exact location, do I look like a sailor to you?”

But Raven could not hear this. She couldn’t hear any of this over the sound of her own screaming and yelling, true despair taking her. Her energy was shooting out from her, narrowly missing them all.

“Get out!” Raven yelled. She knew her skin was no red and she had taken on her four eyes. “Get out NOW!” She told them.

“Raven, please-“ Kori tried, but it was useless. Raven couldn’t hold herself. She waved a hand, physically shifting all of her friends and foes to a portal she had just made back to the tower, and let it all out, all of the power she felt in her broken heart, with another deafening yell.

And destroyed the entire Rock of Eternity.

~

It took them hours to find him.

Lex had been tracking Damian’s every movement through satellite for days now, ever since he escaped the League’s holding cells by replacing him with a body double.

Nightwing didn’t dare call Batman. Didn’t dare believe Damian was dead.

But there he was. Laying still on the deck of a large yacht on the move a hundred miles north-east. A trail of his blood flowing from him. Raven’s distraught was indescribable as she landed next to his cold body. She grabbed his face in her hands as their friends landed just behind her. His eyes were closed. She wondered what his last thoughts were.

“Get back,” Raven told them without looking, “I need space to work.”

She could do this. She knew she could do this. She felt them back away and put her hands on his chest, right over the wound and worked her magic.

Nothing. She concentrated harder. The wound closed. But nothing. Why? Why wasn’t it working? She knew she could do this. It was all that calmed her down.

“Mother of Azarath, give me strength!” she commanded, the purple glow acting like a bonfire around her and her one-and-only. But nothing was happening. She didn’t understand. She quelled her magic and stared at him. He looked unharmed. If she couldn’t feel his life-force absence entirely, she would have thought him only to be sleeping.

“Raven,” she heard from behind her.

“I have to go,” said Raven in a strange voice. “I have to go. Meet me back at the tower. I need to take him to Azarath. They can save him.” She felt so sure of it. She opened a portal immediately without waiting for their reply, but feeling their sadness and anger and hopelessness. She lifted his body and walked through it, coming across grassy plains, white stone walkways, and beautiful blue skies.

Nothing should be beautiful, was Raven’s only thought.

She flew through Azarath, ignoring the people’s reaction to her. She was only focused on finding the powerful Azar herself.

Lady Azar was with her mother, walking down the steps of a temple. Raven sped to them from the sky as fast as she could.

Her mother looked up and gasped. “Raven!”

Raven landed at the foot of the stairs, looking pleadingly at Lady Azar. Both of the elder ladies gasped as they recognized who she carried, and what state he was in.

“Lady Azar, please,” beseeched Raven, “help me. I beg you.”

“Oh, no,” Arella sharply inhaled, “ _Damian, no.”_

Lady Azar gazed down upon Robin with her ancient white eyes with sadness.

“Lady Azar, we cannot,” said a monk of Azarath, “we cannot return the act of death! It is against your grandmother’s oldest laws.”

Raven may have actually killed that monk. And any who dared to suggest that again. But Lady Azar knelt next to Damian’s body.

“For he who returned us and this land from the grave after Trigon’s wrath,” said Lady Azar sagely, “I would break my grandmother’s law without hesitation.”

Raven’s heart soared for the first time as Lady Azar placed her hands placed her hands on his chest, the exact spot the wound had been. Her hands glowed with magic.

Raven waited. Moments passed. Lady Azar groaned and groaned again, a bead of sweat drinking down her leathery skin.

Until finally the glowing of her hands stopped and Lady Azar lifted them away.

“What?” asked Raven, looking back and forth between them. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Lady Azar studied Raven solemnly. Her eyes were defeated.

“I am so sorry, my child,” she said, “I cannot…”

“Lady Azar?” questioned Arella. Raven had no words as she stared at the ancient leader.

“He has been dead too long,” said Lady Azar gravely, “his soul has reached the other side. My power… I have no means… I cannot bring him back.”

Raven was stunned. She felt as though death itself had come for her but only made away with her heart. Everything else after that was just noise. She didn’t care that Lady Azar kept apologizing. She didn’t care that her mother was trying to hug her embracingly. She just didn’t care.

She bowed her head over the chest she wanted to wake up on every day for the rest of her life and cried, thinking about the life they could’ve had…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. What did I do?


	16. Civil War

Returning home may have been the worst part. She wished someone would have told her that.

She heard her mother’s pleas and Lazy Azar mumbling about the possibility of a ceremony for him there in Azarath. She hadn’t found the strength within herself to give a response.

Raven lifted Damian’s untouched, lifeless body and created a portal to home. She felt hollow and distant as if she were witnessing everything from far away.

It was a stunned silence for the most part. They had put their trust in her, and in Azarath, to see this through and make it right. Most of them did not say anything, though she was able to feel their distraught. Conner had his head in his hands, cursing himself while Donna tried to console him.

_“Hermano,”_ Jaime whispered sadly.

Though raven only lifted her attention up for one of them. The only one whose shattered heart nearly matched her own. Her downcast amethyst eyes rose to meet the detached, overcome look upon his face.

“I- I can’t,” said Raven. Her throat felt so constricted. “Where do you want to lay him?”

Dick Grayson did not answer. He simply closed his eyes and tried to be strong about it, but couldn’t stop the shaking of his shoulders. Raven felt the emotion like unacceptance coming from his core. Kori quickly wrapped her long orange arms around his neck, cradling him. A tear was falling from her eye.

“Raven,” she recognized Donna’s voice, “give him to me. You shouldn’t have to-“

“No,” Raven said firmly, the first heat of emotion besides despair coming through, “he’s mine. I’ll take him.”

And so Raven walked on as Dick tried to compose himself. She heard their pleas, not really listening.

“I’m so sorry,” muttered Jinx as Raven walked past, “we were- we just didn’t hear the communicator…”

“I kept looking for a way in after I saw you portal away,” mumbled Cassie. Her heart was wrecked, Raven felt. And for once, it wasn’t just Damian on her mind. “I swear I’m so sorry…”

Raven found that she didn’t really care. Not at the moment. Probably not ever. The numbness hadn’t left her yet. The only thing she could focus on was not looking at his face. She was scared of making Titans Tower wind up as a mound of a heap in the bay like the Rock of Eternity currently was.

She arrived at the medical bay. There were cold units on the far wall. The Titans were taught to never fail, but here were contingencies of sorts that Bruce Wayne had made when he built Titans Tower for his son Dick’s team years ago just in case they did. She didn’t know why she felt anger at that.

She opened one up and laid him down. Raven couldn’t stop the teardrops falling onto his Robin vest as she gazed at him longingly before pressing the button once more and letting him vanish into the wall.

Raven didn’t know what to do with herself. Almost against her will, she glanced at a particular medical bay bed.

This is right where it happened. Where it all started. When they managed to see into each other’s hearts and confess what they’d been feeling. When Damian first took her hand.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked down at the floor in a broken manner, wishing for anything to just end the pain.

~

Raven quickly realized it was the first night that was to be the worst part. She wished there had been someone to tell her.

It was being back in the room they shared that tore her apart. Everything reminded her of him. Reminded her that he wasn’t here, and would never be again.

She didn’t feel that connection when she looked at the katanas on the wall, or the priceless Da Vinci painting. She felt it when she looked at the hook next to her door that would always be absent of his cape. The vacant pillow on his side of the bed that would be empty every morning she woke, only not because Damian was getting a head-start on the day or was down in the kitchen making eclairs… But because he was never coming back.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, looking away from everything. Everything felt misplaced. As though she shouldn’t be here, in these tainted walls.

She didn’t notice when it became gradually darker in the room. A sunset faded into near-total darkness. There was a knock at the door.

_“Raven?”_

She stood up and walked mechanically to the door, sliding it halfway open. Donna was there, her eyes still red, with a sheathed sword in her hand.

“We were able to recover this,” she said, her low voice cracking, “he… he must have dropped it after it happened. Conner and Garfield dove into the bay an hour ago and looked everywhere.”

Just what she needed. She hadn’t noticed Damian’s most prized possession missing. Raven took it into her hands. The scabbard was a fine leather that Damian took care of himself regularly. The hilt-

She stopped and smiled at herself. Damian had taught her the proper words of the katana. The tsuba and habaki were made of bronze which appeared again at the samegawa. The tsukamaki was wood covered with ray skin for a great grip.

“Thank you,” said Raven softly. “And please tell them thank you as well.”

Donna nodded at her friend, eyes threatening to water again. “They’re all very s-“ she began.

“Please Donna,” Raven cut her off, “please not right now.”

Donna nodded, looking further down still. After a moment, she raised her eyes to Raven’s face again. “Dick left to Gotham. Kori wanted to go with him, but he convinced her the team needs her right now. He wants to tell his father in person…”

Damian had told Raven that his father didn’t handle loss well. That it was the death of one of his worst enemies that ended the best relationship his father had had to that point. There was no telling how he would take being told he would have to bury his son…

“They’re strong,” said Raven, looking at his old weapon, “all of them. The Bat-Family is made of stronger stuff than the rest of us.”

Donna nodded in agreement. “Do you… I mean, do you think you need any food? Or anything? I’m not asking you to come down, we’ll bring you anything you need.”

Raven shook her head. It felt like everything inside of her had stopped working. “No, Donna, it’s okay. I’ll come down for breakfast tomorrow,” she said, vaguely sure she wasn’t being truthful.

“Okay,” Donna said, still looking very worried. Her eyes were always windows to her heart.

Raven closed the door again and went back to bed, laying down, the katana still in her hands. Se set it on his side of the bed and just stared at it.

This sword… this weapon meant for death and execution but never did so. This was Damian’s locket. Proof that despite being raised as nothing but a killer, Damian Al Ghul looked the other way because of his natural mercy and became a Wayne. This sword was proof Damian had a soul.

A thought struck Raven suddenly, almost violently. Cleo Waiters, the girl with leukemia that Damian had cared for. She would have to make sure she was still being looked after. She needed to do that for him. No, Raven thought, biting her lip in anger, she should just go and heal her. Make her whole and healthy again. Why hadn’t she done that yet? Why the hell hadn’t she thought of that before?

It would be taken care of, she thought, tomorrow. Before it was too late. Before she ended up like…

A mournful sigh escaped her lips. She dispelled her leotard and curled herself, wishing the numbness would also work on the pain as she slept…

~

Someone should have told her how awful the first morning would be.

Raven woke up to an empty bed and the sound of nothing. It lacked his warmth entirely. Every step that morning hurt like she was soldiering on with a burden on her shoulders. She took the elevator down after casting her eyes away from everything that would remind her of what she no longer had.

The elevator opened to the kitchen area. Most of her teammates were there. They all looked up as she approached. She felt their surprise, their alertness, and, most of all, their grieving.

Kori was the first one to get up. At the table, she was sitting at was Donna, who had her arm around her boyfriend, who had his head in his hands just like the night prior.

“Raven,” Kori said, “did you get any rest?”

“Enough,” said Raven quietly. She couldn’t quite manage to look any of them in the eyes.

“Rae,” it was Beast Boy, “Dick radioed in a couple of minutes ago. He’ll be here within the hour. He’s… he’s bringing Batman with him.”

Raven felt there shuddering. Damian’s father was enough to put them on edge with his presence alone. She wasn’t sure what to expect.

She hoped he was wearing his cowl. She didn’t want to see the one face on the planet that was so identical to Damian’s…

“We’ll get through this,” she heard someone whisper. It sounded a lot like Cassie. Probably consoling someone.

“Where’s Wallace and Kara?” Raven asked. She couldn’t feel their presence in the room.

“Kara is on a video call with Superman,” Kori spoke, “Lady Diana was at the manor when Dick told his father, and she let Superman know. He wanted to console Bruce as well, but Batman decided to come here first thing this morning instead.”

“Superman is a really good friend to Damian’s father,” was Raven’s only comment. She wondered how many motions she was going to have to go through before she could return to her mourning. A hand was placed on Raven’s arm.

“You should eat something,” said Jinx softly. Her eyes weren’t pink like most of theirs, but Raven felt her genuine sadness. It had been a long time since she lost someone she cared about.

Raven couldn’t manage any more words at the moment. She simply nodded and sat down opposite of Conner and Donna at the round table.

Donna kept her arm around her boyfriend but turned her sad teal colored eyes on Raven.

“Jaime and Wallace were helping him set this room up for a date night,” she said, “he was away from his communicator…”

“I should have heard it,” said Conner, his voice muffled as he didn’t lift his head up, “I should have been paying attention. Kori _warned us_ to! I heard the rain outside and didn’t think anything of it.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Raven, minutely in spite of herself. She tried not to linger on the thought it had been the opponent _she_ didn’t finish that had killed him. “She was too close and too fast…”

Conner lifted his face finally, his cool demeanor dropped completely. Raven had understood that in the year and a half he’d been here, Damian had been one of his best friends.

“ _I_ would have been fast enough,” he said in a strange voice unlike she’d ever heard from him. He dropped his face again before Raven could respond. She just stared on sadly as Garfield set down a bowl of chicken broth before her.

The Titans munched their breakfast in silence, though most didn’t eat at all. Raven herself couldn’t find the energy to do anything at all besides stir her broth absently.

“Nightwing is back,” Conner said. “I can hear the Bat jet coming in. Batman is with him.”

Kori let out a relieved sigh. Being away from Dick in a time of need was making her very anxious.

Raven knew they must’ve been landing on the roof moments later. She could feel this… determination there. It threw her off. Whatever she thought she should’ve expected, it wouldn’t have been _that._

“They landed,” Conner confirmed.

“I’ll com Dick to tell him we’ll be in the common room,” said Kori. She looked at Raven sadly. “If you’re not ready…”

“No,” said Raven, “I’ll come.” She needed to at least be there with his family.

“We’re here for you, Rae,” said Jaime from next to her. She could feel his own emotions going through his past experiences with Damian. Their scuffles and laughs. The ring from Damian’s treasure trove that was currently on Traci’s finger and the bestowal that kept the tavern open.

“Thank you,” whispered Raven. They made their way to the common area and found Wallace and Kara already there. Wallace was as distraught as Jaime or Garfield. He’d been looking up to Damian since day one.

“Raven-“

“Now isn’t the time Wallace,” Raven told him, “please.. later.”

They waited. Everyone’s eyes glanced back and forth between Raven and the door, expecting Dick and Batman to be there any second. When it opened, Nightwing was revealed, fully in his suit. Raven could still feel that determination within him.

“Everyone,” said Nightwing in a voice that was surely not broken.

“Dick,” Starfire said, going to his side with a hand over her heart, “where is Batman?”

“He went straight to the med bay,” Nightwing told them. “He needed some moments to himself with Damian.”

“Of course,” said Kori, her eyes growing sadder again. Nightwing put a hand on her arm.

“Don’t worry,” he said to her, “we’re going to move him soon and fix everything. This will all be behind us.”

This didn’t click with anybody.

Kori tilted her head to the side. “Dick, what are you talking about?”

“I wasn’t sure how to get there,” Nightwing said and there was something about his face that was gleaming, “but Bruce has been there so often. He knows the quickest route. We’re going to load him into the Bat-Wing and be on our way.”

She felt everyone’s confusion, their worriedness at how deranged he was sounding, but the truth of what he meant resonated in Raven’s gut.

“Dick,” tried Kori again, taking a half step back, “I’m not sure-“

“You’re taking him to the Lazarus Pit,” Raven said. Everyone’s eyes shot to her.

Nightwing sighed in relief as if someone finally understood. “ _Yes._ We can get him there in hours at the Bat-Wing’s top speed.”

Raven was stunned. Nightwing looked bracingly at her as Kori stared in disbelief at him.

“This will all be over soon Raven…”

Raven finally found her voice.

“Or far worse than what we could have imagined,” she said in a hushed voice, “you know what the Lazarus pit could do to him!”

Insane yellow eyes instead of emeralds flashed in her mind.

Nightwing looked lost for words for a moment. “That… that’s the chance it has on _other_ people, Raven. _Not_ an _Al Ghul!”_

“Dick,” said Kori in almost a whisper, “we said that if either one of us ever fell, we would never use the Lazarus Pit. That applies to the team, too. _You promised._ ”

Nightwing shot her a furious look.

“Dick,” Raven tried, “the same power that created the Pits flows through my veins. I couldn’t-“

“No!” Nightwing cut her off. “No, Raven, you did _enough_. Okay? You did enough! The Lazarus Pits cannot heal a badly damaged body. They can be dead, but the defacement cannot be substantial. You healed his body with your powers. And then I guess whatever they were good for in _Azarath_ did what they did. We can take over from here. Now we can bring him back.”

“Possibly as a monster!” Raven seethed. She could feel resentment boiling the air, both from him and her, neither satisfied with how the other was handling the situation.

“We have a chance to save him!”

“Or to make him a walking psychopath that needs a straitjacket.”

“Richard,” Kori sounded distraught, “please, don’t try this… you’re breaking my heart.”

Nightwing looked wild and livid. “Then you’re only joining the club, Kori!”

Kori flinched.

“She and Raven are right,” said Donna. She stepped up with misty eyes, but a determined look on her face. “You know we can’t let you do this. He’s dead, Nightwing. And you seek to add dishonor to his grave on top of that.”

Nightwing snarled. He was far unlike Raven had ever seen him.

“Conner,” said Donna, “could you help me in getting Damian back to his resting place?”

There was no answer. Raven looked over. Conner had walked away from their group, facing away with his hands on his hips. Raven recognized his turmoil.

“No,” she said in a hushed voice again.

Conner turned around. His eyes were blazing. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but I really do think you guys are taking the wrong look at this.”

Donna stared at him, stunned. “He could wake up a freaking murderous zombie, Conner!”

Conner didn’t accept that. His chin jutted out. “Or… he just wakes up. Look at the facts. His mother used it several times. His grandfather used it maybe _hundreds_ of times. Even Damian has used it to heal himself! No, there’s a definite chance he walks away just fine from this.”

“I cannot believe you right now!” Donna said in a strangled voice. “He needs us-“ and she stopped as her eyes widened. Conner backed up to stand next to Nightwing.

“Which is why I’m doing this,” Conner answered.

Nightwing was nodding. He looked to the other Titans.

“Anyone else feeling reasonable?” he asked. “Or are you all controlled by a rash fear?”

“Dick!” Kori yelled. Her eyes widened as Wallace was standing beside the two of them, facing his team.

“We need to help him guys,” he said, his eyes full of pain and regret, “it’s up to us. It’s always up to us. The Titans can’t lose.”

“No, _hermano_ ,” growled Jaime. He transformed into his full Beetle suit, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

“We can’t do this to one of our own,” said Garfield. “We don’t get to play God.”

“That wouldn’t be what we’re doing, Gar,” said the girl next to him. Raven felt his disbelief as he appraised Jinx’s decision. She backed away to the other side as Kori stepped away, back to near Raven.

“This is something his family has been doing for ages now, right?” Jinx said. She turned her gaze slowly from her green boyfriend to Raven.

“I _am_ sorry,” she said, and Raven felt it, “but I really do think you’re letting your fear control you on this. Damian has a good chance to walk away from this.”

“Anyone else?”

Raven should have seen this next one coming. Her blonde hair whipped back and forth as she walked crisply and without hesitation to join Nightwing’s side.

“Cassie,” Donna moaned, “no…”

“For all we know, Damian has _already_ died and used the Pits and just not known it,” Cassie defended herself, “with everything I was told that he went through growing up, I really wouldn’t doubt it.”

Raven knew she meant well in a way. But her arrogance with Damian’s life finally pushed her too far. Ever since Cassie arrived, she’d been dealing with jealousy. She ignored the sexual tension Cassandra tried to keep alive, even after Raven and Damian started dating. She ignored that small core in her heart that hoped things wouldn’t work about between the two of them. She was _done_. Raven’s powers erupted all around her in a purple flame. If _this_ was going to happen, Cassie was _hers._

“Raven,” Garfield said next to her, “try to remember that we would need to replace this building.”

“I’ll keep enough of it intact,” she said, scowling at her friends-turned-enemies.

“Dick,” Kori spoke softly, “please… don’t do this.”

Nightwing’s gaze dropped to the floor for a moment. And in that spell of time, Raven could feel how lost he felt.

“He’s my brother,” he said, lifting his gaze and fighting spirit back up, “we’re _taking_ this chance.”

Kori nodded, readying herself as well. She opened her eyes again, ready for conflict.

“So be it.”

The confrontation began when Nightwing lifted the communicator on his wrist to his mouth.

“Bruce! We have complications here, take Damian and go!”

Conner and Donna slammed into one another with a force that emitted a shockwave.

“We’ll get over this,” Conner grunted.

“We’ll see about that!” Donna snarled.

Jaime and Garfield were tasked with the unfortunate responsibility of taking on Beast Boy’s girlfriend. She danced around a few of Blue Beetle’s energy blasts but found herself ensnared in a green boa constrictor.

“How could you?” it said to her.

“I’m just trying to save our friend!” Jinx yelled. She used more energy to blast him off.

Supergirl and Kid-Flash were nowhere in sight, but Raven could feel them moving about the building. Kara had tried to bull rush right past them to get to Batman and Damian, but Wallace was heading her off, shoving away every attempt she had, desperately not wanting to hurt her.

But no pain came more from the fight next to Raven. Starfire sent blasts of green energy at Nightwing’s feet in an attempt of throwing him off balance. He dodged neatly, jumping back and throwing batarangs in her direction, purposely missing. Just trying to throw her off as well. Both had so much pain in their hearts.

Raven, however, was still itching for this particular fight. Seeing Raven be the only one without a dance partner, Cassie came straight for her. Raven threw out a powerful shot of black energy that Cassie barely got her arms up in defense for. The blast still sent Cassie flying, shattering the windows on her way out of the building.

“Raven!” Starfire cried. “Pull your punches. All we need is for one of us to get past them and stop Batman.”

“She can take it,” Raven said, more to herself. She wasn’t satiated yet and Cassandra was already coming back for more. Raven flew out of the tower to meet her in mid-air.

Their clash was sending shock waves with Raven easily getting the upper hand. She threw a chain of energy bolts at Cassie, most of which she was unable to dodge. The blonde Amazonian was able to throw a punch towards Raven. Most of it was sunk into Raven’s energy shield, but one thing became clear- Cassandra wasn’t holding back either.

“You don’t stand a chance,” Raven told her venomously. She had to wrap this up quickly. She could already feel Batman’s presence getting away and she couldn’t see which way he was flying. At that same time, someone popped through the roof of Titans Tower, flying sky high. Raven glanced and saw Conner nearly unconscious mid-air as he came back down. Donna soared high and caught him before he hit the ground.

Raven’s attention turned back to Cassie in the nick of time. She hastily brought a shield up, catching a fist inches away from her face. She used the energy to wrap around Cassandra, making her unable to move.

“It’s done,” Raven told her firmly. She waved a hand and caused Cassandra wrapped in black energy to crash into the ground at the base of Titan’s Tower. When the debris cleared, Cassie was laying there, knocked clean out, still wearing an aggravated expression.

“That was too easy,” Raven mumbled to herself. She flew back into Titans Tower. The place was a mess. Walls were completely destroyed. Small fires had erupted in a short time. Kori was kneeling next to Nightwing. Other than some blood from his leg, he looked fine.

“How could you not let me take this chance,” he muttered to her.

A tear was falling from Kori’s eyes again. She didn’t answer him yet, instead looking up at Raven.

“Can you track him?” she asked.

Raven focused. She could feel Batman on the edge of her senses, almost out of range.

“Yes,” she said, “but I won’t be able to catch up.”

“You’ll have to try,” said Kori sadly. “Take Donna and go.”

Raven nodded. They both looked up and tensed as another figure entered the room. Wallace gazed at them, sadness in every fiber of his being.

“Kara is out,” he told them regretfully. “She just… she just wouldn’t stop.”

Raven was unsure about what to do, but she knew she needed to act quickly. Wallace would be much tougher than Cassie to bring down. She had the advantage of flight and magic, but he would be untouchable. She exchanged a glance with Kori.

“Just go,” he said to them. His shoulders were slumped. Every part of him was a white flag, giving up. “Save him or don’t… whatever.”

Kori stood tall. “Thank you, Wallace. Today has been a black page in the Teen Titans book. But we _can_ make it through this. Together.”

Wallace shrugged with one shoulder. “The others have already stopped fighting. Jinx gave up after she hit Beast Boy pretty bad. They’re already in the medical center. Donna is crying over her fight with Conner. Let’s… let’s just be done with this.”

Raven nodded in agreement. She stood up, fixing her sights in the direction Batman was in.

~

It was a long journey and becoming gradually colder.

“Can you still sense him?” Donna asked over the roaring winds.

“Yes,” Raven shouted back. They were flying straight through at top speeds. But Batman had a couple of hundred-mile head start that they just couldn’t quite cover.

“We have to be getting close,” yelled Donna. “Look at all of these mountains coming up. I think we crossed into Tibet a little while ago.”

That didn’t help the feeling in Raven’s gut. Batman could already be there. She was beginning to pick up other senses and emotions as they crossed over the first snow-capped mountain top.

They both tried so hard to remain focused. Donna’s heart was shattered in her chest. She wanted more than anything to be there when Conner woke up, but she relented and agreed to help Raven.

“There!” Donna shouted.

It was like a little realm of its own, magically protected from the hailing snow. A large estate with blue rooftops and courtyards for training, like a castle and it’s grounds. Raven spotted the Bat-Wing in the middle of the largest courtyard out front.

Raven readied herself for anything as she and Donna landed on the ground. There wasn’t a soul in sight, betraying her senses.

And then there were many.

Assassins leaped from hiding, coming out of everywhere. In a small moment, there were over thirty standing before the two heroines.

“Shit,” Donna said, “that’s impressive. I mean, they don’t stand _a chance in hell,_ but that’s still impressive.”

One of the assassins pointed a blade right at them and shouted, “On Lady Shiva’s command! Protect the Demon’s Head! Death before dishonor!”

“We don’t have time for this,” growled Raven. She could feel Batman in front of her, down below. As their enemies charged, Raven waved a hand. Black energy emerged and blasted the thirty-odd attackers against the walls, defeating them entirely.

“It was a good effort, guys,” said Donna with real sympathy as they walked past them, “I _felt_ the devotion, I just want you all to know that.”

They made their way through a doorway and descended the tremendous amount of stairs in a long, cavernous hallway, flying to go faster. They finally reached the end and came upon a cavernous room, glowing with a green light.

There he was, his black cape facing them. There was a serious-looking lady next to him, more assassins backed against the wall to the side, like an honor guard. They stood in front of a pool of acidic green, bubbly water.

Batman was a mere step away.

“No!”

“Don’t!”

They all turned towards the girls, Batman included. Damian was in his arms, wearing assassin trousers. His torso and feet were bare. He looked to be sleeping.

Raven could feel Batman entirely at this distance. Feel how utterly destroyed he was on the inside, the only one to truly match Raven’s own emotion following Damian’s death. His face didn’t show it. But that was possibly because there was a determination within him as well, one that far surpassed Nightwing’s.

“This is our only chance, Raven,” said Batman calmly. “His body is healed enough for this to work. If it doesn’t… I’ll be the one to euthanize him.”

Raven shook her head. “You can’t. You can’t put your own son down. I won’t let this happen.”

Batman nodded, understanding her seeming betrayal.

“I know,” he said. Far too late, Raven noticed a button in his left hand. He pressed it and a force like a mixture of a screech and a shockwave hit Raven and Donna from all sides. Raven dropped to her knees as her ears throbbed, temporarily nearly deaf, and disorientation flooded her.

“Like any Leaguer, her over-confidence is her downfall,” said Batman sadly. He took no pleasure at all in this, mourning having to even somewhat hurt her. “My emitters knocked her senses, but only temporarily. She won’t be able to fight if she doesn’t have control.” He looked to Donna, trying to stand. “That one, however, can still throw punches,” he said to Shiva. “I only need moments.”

Lady Shiva nodded, drawing her sword. All the assassins by her side did the same, standing in front of her.

“For the Demon’s Head!” Lady Shiva shouted as Donna charged, stumbling more than anything. But she was still enough to bowl over several of them at once, making sure not to kill any in her dizziness.

Raven tried to focus, to make sense of all that happened in front of her. Donna had caught Lady Shiva’s swing by the wrist and squeezed too hard, crushing her bone with a loud snap. Shiva roared, but gallantly tried fighting on with her other hand and legs.

Behind them, Batman was waist-deep in the bubbly green waters. He was taking a last long and sad look at his son’s pure face.

“No!” Raven shouted. _“Damian!”_

Batman lowered his son into the water and let go, stepping back as he sunk into its depths. Donna cursed loudly, flailing her arms and knocking back the small legion of assassins around her.

Raven stood up and shakily made her way over to stand next to her. Batman walked calmly from the water and helped Shiva up, grabbing her good hand. He looked at Raven.

“There was no other choice,” he said, and Raven could hear the derangement in his voice. Had Batman always been so… psychotic?

They waited for a beat. All was silent with suspense that ate away at Raven’s head.

And then it happened.

Green water shot high into the air in a column like a jet, simultaneously with a deep roar. Damian was standing again, his eyes glowing the same color of the water before shutting them tightly. Raven looked on with an open mouth like Donna.

Everything was wrong, Raven thought in a panic. He didn’t have control of himself. Damian flailed wildly before coming to a still. His eyes were still shut tight. His chest heaved with every breath. Before anyone said anything, he began to walk out of the Lazarus Pit on his own.

It was the moment of truth. The deed was done. For a moment, looking at the expression on his face, eyes closed tight and the look of bitter anger that was common on him when they first met, Raven was sure Damian had not come back right.

He stepped out of the glowing, acidic green pool and onto the cavernous surface of the room. Batman was watching just as anxiously as Raven. Lady Shiva took something from an assassin and rushed to Damian’s side. She unfolded a cloth and wrapped it around Damian’s shoulders. It was a long coat, emerald green like his eyes with gold trimming down the shoulders and arms.

Damian’s breathing slowed, his abdomen muscles still flexing. He opened his eyes. They were pure white, but that slowly faded, revealing to them all the conclusion of this event.

Damian’s emerald eyes flickered around the room, landing on Raven and his father.

“My lord,” Lady Shiva said. She and the other assassins knelt in a crouch before him. Damian lifted his eyes from her to Raven again, who felt as if she was going to cry. Batman smiled.

“Welcome home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! This arc isn't yet completed, but I hope you're enjoying it so far!  
> It may be a week or so until I update TLWCH again. I'm working on Skate Into Love chapter 3 with Lavender Teacups (which I hope ya'll check out) and also my DamiRae Fanzine piece that I can't wait for you all to see! If you want to. Thank you so much for reading. Please leave comments letting me know how I did with this. I always worry I didn't work it out well enough. Have a blessed day, fam.


	17. Repercussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm sorry it's been two weeks since an update, I was working hard on a one-shot that I've recently posted that for some reason I couldn't just stop typing away at and Skate Into Love with Lavender Teacups! Please check out if you haven't already! We're working hard at them.  
> 

“You’re sure about this?”

“Positive,” Damian answered. He lit a torch and shared the flame with one held by Batman and Donna. Raven stayed close enough to him so that she didn’t need one.

“I was able to call Kori as you asked,” said Donna, “and let her know how things turned out.” Her eyes were remarkably sad. The same sentiment showed in Raven’s.

“How were things there?” she asked softly.

Donna gave a slow tug of her shoulder, not quite meeting their eyes. “Everyone is… _okay_ , I guess. Most of the team came to the screen to see. Cassie and Kara were there, they just seemed relieved Damian is alright. But…” the Amazon’s eyes dropped lower, “Conner _wasn’t around_ when I asked Kori if he was alright.”

Raven winced. Damian looked back and forth between the girls.

“What happened?” he asked, feeling as though he missed much more than he initially thought. “How long was I… out?”

Batman and Raven wore identical expressions. “Later,” he said, “first show us what you meant.”

Shifting his eyes between the two, it was clear they were in no mood to talk about it. He turned back to the aged double-oak doors, one of the few he’d never bothered to wander through at Nanda Parbat.

“I’ll come with you,” Lady Shiva called, approaching.

“No,” Damian cut her off, “not for this. Stay here, attend to the men.”

Lady Shiva recoiled, drawing back with her head bowed. Perhaps she felt cast aside, but Damian didn’t have time to nurture her importance to the League. Not after what he’d seen. He pushed the doors open and the four heroes made their way down a long, dark stairway.

“How would you have been able to have seen somewhere you’ve never been?” wondered Donna as they descended. The torches gave them only ten feet or so of light.

Damian’s eyes tightened as he thought hard, trying to recall everything that flashed in his eyes as he reawoke. How the information spilled into his skull.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said wearily. “But it felt as real as anything as I’ve ever experienced before.”

Raven’s eyes shot sideways to him for a moment and he knew she was worried about him. But Damian knew what he saw. How was all he could not say.

“Well, the door and this passageway are both here,” continued Donna to break up the silence, “so maybe…”

Batman was just tense enough to not voice his deductions.

“Grandfather was even more like you than we knew,” Damian said to him, “he had contingencies for his contingencies.”

“The Ra’s I knew never once believed his plans would falter,” Batman finally spoke.

“Because when you knew him, he had you on a pillar,” Damian explained, confidently walking through the darkness. “It was you leaving in the first place that gave him reason to prepare in case of organization malfunctions.”

His father didn’t argue that, so at least he was keeping an open mind.

“My grandfather was a twisted man who thought to bend all of reality to his will,” said Damian sharply, and he could taste the bitterness in his mouth, “even if not all of his dear ones would comply, he thought he could _remake_ them into versions that did.”

Damian felt their uneasiness around him. But it would become clear soon. There was at long last a low green glow ahead, giving some light. They plummeted at long last into a cavernous sort of room filled with long wooden tables covered with many odd trinkets. Some torches along the walls were lit, but most of the room’s luminescence came from a very large glass globe in the middle of the room filled with acidic green waters akin to the Lazarus Pit, that was not otherwise empty. Batman and Donna both gasped.

_“Mother,”_ Damian muttered darkly.

She was there, unconscious, almost peacefully so, floating in the green tank in her usual black leatherwear, a breathing mask over her face to keep her oxygen levels normal.

“I thought she died when that place went down over four years ago?” Raven questioned, looking at her boyfriend.

“She’s been here the entire time,” said Damian with an angry undertone, “since even _before_ that escapade, believe it or not. The concoction she rests in now was something Ra’s Al Ghul commissioned from Dr. Kirk Langstrom before his death. It’s a formula with a small helping of the Lazarus Pit waters that constantly regenerates one’s stem and white blood cells. Which _means_ , she probably hasn’t aged a day while they’ve kept her under for years.”

“Why?” was all Batman asked, looking at Talia sadly.

Damian walked forward, set his torch down on the nearest table, and tried to explain. “I don’t know why I saw everything,” he said, “I have no answer for anything beyond science at the moment. But as far as my grandfather’s _contingencies_.” He folded his arms as he glared at his mother’s sleeping form, drifting in the water as if she were falling asleep in the ocean.

“Grandfather feared how much she loved you,” he went on, never taking his eyes from her, “he was afraid his beloved daughter would leave the League and him to chase more idealistic dreams of justice with _the Batman_. And so, when he began the process of cloning _me_ for super soldiers… he remade her as well.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” choked Donna, unable to contain herself.

“I wish,” muttered Damian. Batman and Raven were looking at him incredulously as well. “I sometimes wondered, though I tried to put it from my mind as quickly as I could on those occasions… why the drastic change? What caused it in two years? She’d gone from caring for me my entire life to using my clone and ordering my brainwashed father to kill me and my brother. Had mother used the Pit one time too much? Now I know. That was _not_ my mother.” He turned to his father, who was staring at him speechlessly.

“She took what you said to heart that day,” said Damian, “I _saw_ it. The only way to perfectly reform the League of Assassins is to disband it. And so, after a few days of Batman-like brooding, she tried. And my grandfather had laid plans in case of something like that happened, even after his death.”

“Subdue Talia Al Ghul,” gathered Batman, “replace her with a clone that’s been prepped with Ra’s own mindset.”

Damian nodded. “Exactly.”

“How do we get her out of here?” Raven asked.

Damian examined it for a moment. “Let’s just break the glass,” he suggested.

Donna actually snorted. “Here I thought you’d heave some genius way of draining the chemicals figured out,” she said. “Stand back.” She walked forward as the others took several steps back. Raven grabbed Damian’s hand.

“ _Hiyah_!” Donna yelled, throwing a fist forward, shattering what was probably bullet-proof glass like paper machete. It broke apart, the aquatic green contents spilling out, washing at their feet. As the last bits drained, Talia Al Ghul was revealed to be on the floor, soaking wet and still unconscious.

“Raven,” Damian murmured softly, “can you wake her up?”

His heart was beating harder as she let go of his hand and walked forward. It only took the lightest touch from the end of her finger to his mother’s forehead.

Talia’s eyes instantly popped wide open, a look of alert on her face.

“Back away!” she cried hoarsely, swiping at Raven. “I am your-“

“Talia!” Batman yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders as she got up. Her eyes found him, still looking wild.

“B-Bruce?” she managed, squinting and disoriented. “Where am I? You followed? Did you know they would attack me?”

“No,” said Batman, soft regret in his voice, “but I’m here now. Stay calm.”

Talia looked around the room in front of her, from Raven to the tables to the glass sphere. “Oh, no,” her eyes widened again.

“You know this place?” asked Batman, his hands still holding her straight. Talia’s legs looked shaky and ready to give out from underneath. Damian stayed back.

“Yes,” his mother breathed, surveying her ex-prison. “This was… meant for you.” Anger seemed to finally register in her as she regained her sense of self. “The League betrayed me!”

“They followed your grandfather’s orders to the letter, even after he was gone,” said Batman. When Talia looked at him questioningly, he explained the truth of what Damian revealed to them in quick, short sentences. Her eyes were as wide as when she first woke up. Slowly, she turned around and her eyes finally saw Damian. She stood there for several moments, just staring at him.

“Damian,” she said faintly, “my boy…”

Damian let out a deep breath he wasn’t aware that he was holding. “Hello, mother.”

Talia shut her eyes tight, trying to control her emotions. Damian and Raven watched on sadly as she collapsed into Batman, who wrapped his arms around her, a deep frown on his lips.

~

It was decided Talia would leave the League and stay with Bruce in Gotham for a while to recuperate. She wanted Damian to join them, but he needed to see his other family now.

“I’ll be by in a couple of days,” he told her, “I need to see how things are at the tower.”

The arch in Talia’s eyes tightened further, not use to Damian not obeying her.

“Come, Talia,” said Batman, “I left certain things in the care of… others for too long now,” he finished, and Damian knew he must have left some project in the new Batgirl’s hands at Wayne Manor.

Talia’s eyes softened as they appraised Batman again. “Coming, my love,” she said, walking past him to the jet. Batman and Damian both grimaced. She was obviously unaware of how things changed in the nearly seven years she was gone, but now wasn’t the time to burst her bubble. They shared a long look before Batman turned to join her in the Batwing, innuendo smiling as he did so.

Damian glanced at Lady Shiva and nodded, who bowed her head forward in return. He’d given her instructions on how to handle the League, giving her power as the acting Ra’s Al Ghul.

“Can we go now, guys?” asked Donna anxiously. “It’s cold out here.”

Raven turned to her. “Conner is fine. He’ll be waiting for you, Donna.”

“Nevertheless,” said Damian, “we should get going.” He frowned. “What exactly _did_ happen after I died?”

Raven’s mouth twisted down at the reminder. Her eyes flashed to his bare chest left exposed by the open green-and-golden robe. A faint scar was still there, left unhealed by both the Lazarus Pit and Raven’s magic.

“We’ll show you everything,” she said, reaching for his hand, “let’s just go back home first.”

With Raven’s free hand (she was steadfast holding one of Damian’s with her other), she waved into the open air and fabricated a portal effortlessly. Donna waved awkwardly to the kneeling assassins that Raven and Damian ignored altogether. 

Speech left Damian as he stepped foot back into the tower. He cast his eyes around from one unexpected catastrophe of the room to the next.

“What happened?” he croaked.

The common area of Titans Tower was wrecked. The sunset could be seen as if from a viewing area because the wall where the large tv had been was blown completely open, letting the cold briskly in. Cracks decorated the walls.

“It looks worse than what we left it,” muttered Donna.

“What did you all do?” Damian asked again. Raven and Donna each looked at him sideways. Before either could answer, loud steps echoed from down the hall and Nightwing appeared in the doorway, eyes on Damian, almost as if in disbelief. Starfire was right at his shoulder a moment later.

“Oh my god,” she covered her mouth.

“I know,” Damian looked to the gaping hole in the wall where the big screen used to be, “how ever will Garfield and Jaime achieve their divertissement now?”

Nightwing let out a deep breath and smiled. “The foosball table was left undamaged- they’ll manage.”

Damian exchanged a long look with Raven before turning to Nightwing again.

“It appears there’s a story for you to share with me…”

~

Damian listened in silence for the most part as to what transpired. He presumed he’d been brought back to life that same day. Raven assumed a disgruntled expression when Nightwing explained they fought as sides were chosen ultimately after Raven didn’t want to risk the Pits, though he had the good sense to at least give her an apologetic look.

The other Titans made themselves present shortly after they sat down in the lunch area. They were all of course relieved to see him well. Starfire had hugged him (which Damian felt was just unnecessary), then then Jinx, Kara, and finally, Cassie, though she was rather quick compared to the rest and she avoided eye contact. Damian watched a very awkward exchange between Cassie and his girlfriend. The blonde Amazonian scratched the back of her head as she muttered sorry which Raven accepted and replied. He gave Raven a questioning look after she’d gone to which she just shook her head to.

“You blew up the Rock of Eternity?” asked Damian, astounded. “The whole thing?”

The corner of Raven’s mouth lifted for the first time that day and Damian was glad to see it. “It was a bad reflex,” she told him.

“Do we have any clue what happened to the power of Black Adam?” asked Damian seriously.

“It wasn’t a top concern,” said Starfire softly.

“And even so,” came Conner’s voice. Damian turned and saw him and Donna coming through the door holding hands, a sweet smile on her lips.

“None of the rest of us felt like puzzling together back an ancient floating pyramid of power,” he finished, grinning. “We all felt you’d have the compulsion to, being from a long line of detectives and all.”

Damian tutted. “Typical. _I’m_ the one who died and _you’re_ still the one to get nothing done.”

Conner laughed, but was the only one to do so.

“We should have a feast,” said Starfire, clapping her hands together. “Lex Luthor is stopped. A job well done and our team remains whole!”

“Plus, this is like the one undamaged room in the tower,” muttered Nightwing, looking around.

Damian glanced around at them all before conceding, making to get up with a sigh.

“Oh, no,” they all rang around him. Raven had her hand around the inside of his arm and Kori had her hands out as if to push him down by the shoulders. He looked at them, surprised.

“You just said-“

“We didn’t mean for _you_ to cook,” said Kori.

“We’ll handle it,” said Nightwing assuredly, “rest up, Damian.”

“I just was,” Damian replied. Obviously, none of them liked his joke, except Conner, who chuckled after getting it a couple of seconds too late.

~

Kara did what she could.

Damian could hear her attempted instructions to Starfire, Jinx, Donna, and Garfield go under. In no time at all, he heard the phrase “just don’t cut yourself” coming from the kitchens.

Eventually, however, they were able to bring out some nicely seasoned cod and salad bowls for Damian and Gar.

_“You’re kidding me?”_

Nightwing was lowering his first bite of fish back to his plate, looking at Damian in complete shock. He had just finished explaining why they took so long getting back.

“So your mother is alive?” asked Starfire, glancing back and forth between the brothers. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? I mean, if it wasn’t truly her who brainwashed your father.”

“The verdict is still out if I’m honest,” mumbled Damian. He was trying hard not to think that specific direction. Then the others decided to keep it up.

“And you saw all of this as you woke up from your nap?” asked Jinx, stabbing her own cod.

“The powers of the Lazarus Pits are chaotic,” Damian answered, “I don’t know why it revealed what it did.”

“And it also wouldn’t be the first time,” Nightwing added on, “it divulged your father’s secret identity to Hush.”

Damian stabbed his cabbage absent-mindedly. “There are many risks when entering the Lazarus Pit…” He looked up after a moment of silence to see them all watching him wearily, Raven included.

“So you’re saying you might be a coo-coo murderer now?” asked Beast Boy worriedly. Jinx and Cassie both elbowed him.

“If I was, you better hope I remain magnanimous,” said Damian dryly.

“At least you got a neat new look out of it,” said Jinx, her eyes flashing across his chest. He was still wearing the green-and-gold robe from the League of Assassins, the one meant for the Demon’s Head.

“This could be going back to where it belongs if a new leader just emerged,” said Damian with an irritated undertone.

“Your mother,” said Nightwing in a hush. Damian shot him a look before glancing back down into his bowl.

“She’s been stewing idly in a concoction infused with the waters from the Lazarus Pit for over four years,” said Damian, “there’s no telling what that does to the mind.”

“Possibly nothing.”

“But probably something.”

“Maybe we should not bounce from one major problem directly into two more,” said Starfire, eyeing her fiancé and his brother, “let us celebrate in our victory. Members of the Justice League will be by tomorrow.”

“Why?” asked Jaime. Damian let his fork fall into his bowl with a clatter, feeling annoyed.

“We still report to them on major situations,” informed Starfire matter-of-factly. “I notified the Watchtower and the Hall of Justice about everything that had transpired after Donna called with the news on Damian. They want to send someone by to… _help._ ”

“You mean to babysit us,” said Damian with a nasty sneer, “so that we don’t get antsy and rip each other’s throats out because of one fight.” No one around the table was happy with this. At least they were united in that.

“They’ll come and be gone in a couple of hours,” said Nightwing to them all, “ _endure._ ”

~

It was with a relaxed, heavy sigh that Damian entered his and Raven’s room that night.

“Sounds like you’ve had a long day,” she teased, closing the door behind them.

Their room was a comfort zone again. The sunset had disappeared over half an hour ago giving the room the ample darkness it needed to unutterably vibe, light only being cast into the room from the moon and stars and downtown twinkling lights of Jump City.

“On the contrary, I hardly did anything at all,” said Damian, removing the green-and-gold robe. He wasn’t sure what to do with it. Apart of him felt like displaying it alongside his Demon’s Head armor, but he didn’t wish to clutter his and Raven’s shared space. Perhaps the closet would be okay for this one.

Raven removed her own cloak and hung it on the hooks where Damian’s Robin cape was. Her fingers trailed the black fabric gently. There was a happy smile tugging her mouth as she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth, leaving the door open.

The silver mirror that Raven kept displayed glittered in the moonlight coming in. Everything was just as Damian had left it, other than the bed not being made. He paused glancing at it. Two shopping bags sat there.

Curious, he peeked into the larger one and found new books to bed added to their overstuffed library. He smirked to himself as he thought of the possibility of having to expand the tower upon reconstruction. Wondering what the smaller pink bag held, he reached in, felt a strange texture similar to a silk wrap, and pulled it out delicately with the tips of his fingers.

Damian stared at a violet, lacy see-through bra.

The water shut off and Raven walked out, pausing in absolute horror as they looked at each other. Damian was still holding up the underwear.

“Go shopping while I was away?” asked Damian, his throat feeling suddenly thirsty.

Raven quickly snatched it from his hands, hiding it from sight back in the bag. Her eyes were wide and a pale pink tinted her cheeks.

“I was with Kori and Donna before the Rock of Eternity,” she explained tersely. “They made me go shopping with them.”

“Remind me not to interfere with any future trips,” Damian smiled. He was wondering if she would try it on soon, trying not to imagine that. Raven watched him with a slightly anxious expression as she picked the bag up and retreated into the closet. He felt hopeful for a moment, but she came back out after just a moment in her leotard, sans the bag.

“We’re not talking about this anytime soon,” Raven informed him, staring.

“You think I can keep from thinking about it?” Damian asked. He knew there had to be a tinge of pink flushing his own face. Raven’s eyes grew more tender as she stepped forward and placed a hand on his cheek.

“It’s so good to have you home,” she whispered. Damian leaned his head down to meet her kiss, thoughts of anything else leaving his mind entirely.

~

Cool air and incredibly bright blue skies woke him up the next morning more than anything.

Raven and he had taken a trip to Azarath. The beauty of the land never faltered. Gold and white seagull-like birds soared joyfully and high. Oceanic waters surrounding this mystical land shimmered wondrously. The white marble mosque-like buildings remained unblemished, almost constantly polished, in this perfect world. The people were delighted to see him and Raven again.

Evidently, she had tried to bring him here for help before the Lazarus Pits, so kind Lady Azar and her mother Arella were under the impression that he was dead.

Lady Azar and Arella were astounded when Damian came into their view. The quickly poured drinks for the pair of them, a juice made from a tasty fruit that only came from this realm, as Raven regaled them with the story of what happened after she’d left. Even Damian heard a few new details.

“We wondered what had happened,” Lady Azar spoke, casting a long glance at Arella. Raven and Damian looked between the duo.

“Yesterday afternoon, something caused Trigon’s power to stir,” said Arella, hardly containing a shiver. Raven mirrored Damian’s concerned expression. “We know now that it was his power being used inn another realm, of course. The Lazarus Pit bringing Damian back when no other source could.”

“It is not as abysmal as you think,” said Lady Azar before Damian or Raven could speak, “regret nothing. You saved your dearest and the Lord of Terror’s prison holds firm. If anything, it is good to know his power can still be called upon even from within the shard. We need to know these things.”

“If someone happened by a ritual to summon him,” said Damian, “like what the cult used with Lady Arella, is it possible they could free him?”

“It is… possible,” Lady Azar said slowly, “my guess is… probable. There is nothing absolutely bound in magic. Magic itself is chaos, harder to control than trying to hold water and fire simultaneously in one hand. Those ancient shards are powerful and we have gathered them all to ever keep him from escaping… but they are not perfect. No source is. And Trigon himself is very, very powerful. In the end, it was more his daughter’s own extraordinary power and will that kept him from breaking out of his holding than the sacred shard these last three years.”

It wasn’t comforting, but they took what they could out of it as Damian and Raven exchanged glances again. Trigon was still securely trapped, and these people and their land was still safe. Raven reached and took Damian’s hand in her own.

“May we interest you in lunch before you go?” asked Lady Arella kindly.

~

Titans Tower had visitors upon their return.

“Lady Diana,” Raven greeted as they stepped back into the facilities. Wonder Woman stood there with Kori and Jinx.

“Hey you two,” said Jinx, “Azarath still nice this time of year?”

“We’ve been going over the damages suffered yesterday,” informed Kori. Her eyes wilted. “I am sorry it seems to be putting a financial toll on your father, Damian…”

“I can cover the costs just fine,” Damian said, “just don’t let Garfield and Jaime know or else they’ll want to expand the game rooms.”

“Could we expand the library though?” asked Raven, ingesting this new information. Damian sighed.

“Is my father here now?” he asked Wonder Woman.

She nodded. “He’s downstairs ordering a contract from Wayne Construction to have this taken care of. Perhaps he could put it on the company tab?”

_“TT,”_ replied Damian.

“What about Talia?” asked Raven. “Did she join you here as well?”

Wonder Woman frowned. “No? Batman left her in Alfred’s care for a few hours.” Raven was looking at Damian, who sighed.

“I’ll go to her then and see how she’s doing,” he submitted, “ _tomorrow_.”

Surprise colored Wonder Woman’s face. “That’s awfully kind of you, Damian.”

It was Damian’s turn to frown. “Well, she is my mother.”

It was evidently news to Diana Prince. Her mouth fell open in a start before snapping back shut. They heard the elevator doors open and soon enough Batman was entering the room with Nightwing at his side.

“The assessment is just under or over twenty million dollars,” Nightwing enlightened. “Honestly, that’s nothing to Wayne Enterprises, so if you guys want anything extra developed maybe we could…” he trailed off as it became evident Wonder Woman was glaring at Batman, watched by everyone.

“So,” she started off in a dangerous voice, crossing her arms, “when were you going to tell me your _old friend_ recuperating at the manor was _Damian’s mother_?”

It was a tense moment when Batman, caught off-guard, let his mouth part before regaining control. Nightwing blurted out laughter.

“I think we’re all needed elsewhere,” said Kori invasively. She grabbed Nightwing by the arm and tugged him away, jinx escaping as their shadow. Raven and Damian mimicked them, creating a shadowy portal, Damian nearly laughing at the situation his father was caught in before stepping through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems Chapter 18 might be a long one, so unless I decide to split it, it will probably be a few days before it's up. I hope you're all still enjoying so far!


	18. Tales To Astonish

“And as this wall is already knocked out, we’re going to be expanding the main library floor another 2,800 square feet approximately,” Damian was saying, directing towards a large and open, but brutally damaged, space.

It has been two days since he was reawakened in Nanda Parbat. The lead contractor from Wayne Construction was being walked around the Tower by Damian, Raven, Nightwing, and Starfire to get the remodeling underway.

“The dark walnut casing?” asked the contractor. A polite, regal man in his forties with a dark goatee and a hard hat on already, though they were still a day or two out from work.

Damian turned his eyes to the ladies. Raven hadn’t cared at all about most of the reconstruction, but as soon as they entered the library, she magically appeared, holding Damian’s hand firmly and inspecting every detail added, nodding now, and he smiled.

“Check,” the contractor said, marking something on his clipboard. “That should be about it for the revamping. If everything else is simple restoration jobs, I’ll go grab my crew and we’ll be back at first light. Should be done within a week,” he said.

“Thank you so much,” smiled Starfire. The contractor was scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“Listen,” he grunted, “this job… well, it’s going to cost high into the eight-figures range. I never heard of the U.N covering for the Titans as they do the Justice League. Can y’all kids-?”

“We superintend our own expenses,” said Nightwing assuredly.

“Ah,” the contractor cried cheerfully, “independently wealthy _and_ heroes of the locale. Sure wish Gotham had someone up your alley. Batman is great, but I bet he’d have even better gear financed by somebody like Bruce Wayne, am I right? All that guy can do is sneak off to deserted islands with his new _wonder babe_.”

Nightwing shook his head, disgusted. “The scoundrel.”

Starfire bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“How does everyone seem to know who your father is dating?” Starfire asked as the four of them made their way down up to the lunch area after the contractor had left.

“Bruce Wayne is dating Wonder Woman of the Justice League, not Batman,” Nightwing replied easily. “As long as they keep separate from their suited versions and don’t let it show that they’re anything more than teammates on the field, Diana can step out often with playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne with no one being any of the wiser.”

“Hm,” said Starfire, “handy.”

Damian nor Raven replied with anything. They’d thought of this previously, but separately. Robin had held hands with Raven on camera. There was no way they could afford for her to be seen out with Damian Wayne as well.

A ruckus could be heard well before they stepped out of the elevator coming from the lunch hall. As the common area was, unfortunately, one of the worst areas battered by the civil war-like battle, the lunchroom had become somewhat of a transient replacement as the slackening spot.

Jinx was nestled in Garfield’s lap, listlessly scrolling through news on her laptop. Conner was there, either Amazonian on each side of him, Kara and Wallace opposite of them.

“That was a great training session this morning everyone,” said Starfire, walking up to the grouped table, “the contractor for the building just left. The repairs and revamps should be done within a week. They’ll probably be working around the clock, so be sure to, er, step your toes discerning your private matters in that time.”

“ _Watch_ your toes, babe,” called Nightwing from the kitchen counter, smiling.

“Yes,” said Starfire happily, “that.”

Raven fixed tea for two as Damian heated up a small bowl of quinoa for himself. They sat with Starfire and Nightwing, who was merrily munching on a couple of sandwiches.

“Can you believe Jump City is getting a BatBurger?” asked Jinx.

Damian grimaced and lowered his spoon.

“Oooh cool, I’ve always wanted to eat at one of those,” said Wallace excitedly. “Barry always told me I shouldn’t use my powers for minuscule things like running across the country for a burger… until I’m older.”

“My dad secretly loves that place,” said Conner. “Every time Superman and Batman teamed up in Gotham, he’d always try to sneak off into getting grub there. Something about the Jokerized seasoning…” He looked over and grinned at Damian.

“When you go, is it like looking in a mirror seeing half the workers dressed as Robin?”

“There isn’t much enticement for me at a place that only serves burgers and insultingly spiced fries,” said Damian calmly, returning to his quinoa.

“Robin nuggets?” said Raven, peering over Jinx’s shoulder. “Hmm. Interesting.”

Damian groaned. Nightwing and a few of the others laughed.

~

“What do these guys want anyway?”

Robin looked around the warehouse. Around a half dozen armed thugs surrounded a bored Superboy. Damian flicked his wrist, his blade deflecting a bullet, and slashed someone’s leg.

“Take over the world?” Conner guessed, ignoring the bullets bouncing off his chest and head. “Rob BatBurger before it opens?”

Damian gritted his teeth as he sent a flying kick upon one grunts head and leaped off his torso towards another, slicing his gun in half with one stroke and disabling him with another kick.

“They’re attempting to pirate an offshore ship headed to Japan that’s harvesting Bluefin Tuna,” said Damian, glaring at two more scared-looking grunts.

“What?” cried Superboy incredulously. “These bad guys are after _fish_?” One of them, out of ammo, threw their weapon aside and sent a heavy punch at Conner’s jaw. There was a loud crunching sound and Conner watched him lazily as the henchman nursed his shattered hand.

“Whole Bluefin Tuna can sell for over a million dollars,” Damian informed him, taking care of the last two bad guys with ease. A white fury seared across Damian’s senses as he approached them. Normally opting for the opposite, he kicked away the barrel of the first’s gun and slashed across his torso, repeated the process to the second, whom only fired uselessly all around them.

Looking around at their bodies sprawled out across the floor, whimpering in pain, he sheathed his sword. “If they’re able to harvest a few of them illegally, not only are the lives of honest fishermen threatened, it provides these goons master with additional funds to further other operations.”

“Seems like either way, the fish aren’t too happy,” Conner grinned. Then he looked around at their enemies on the floor and that upwards tick at the corner of his lips tugged down. “We need to call in an ambulance. You cut a few of these guys pretty badly…”

Robin removed an alert system from his belt, pressed it, and threw it to the ground. “That line is connected straight to the JCPD. They’ll make sure everyone is taken care of. Documents of their plans are left out for them to see.”

Conner looked to mull that over for a moment, but then shrugged in an uncaring manner.

“Let’s head back if we’re done here. I promised Donna we’d watch a movie tonight.”

~

Raven was in their room, floating in lotus position with an aura of mystical purple energy surrounding her form when Damian entered.

“Crazy night out on the town?” she asked, peeking one eye open. Damian turned around from leaving his cape on the hook and removed his Robin mask.

“Kent could have been quicker and more graceful about it,” said Damian. He hoped he heard that. “But the job was a success. We stopped them before they ever left the docks.”

Raven dropped her aura, touching her feet down to the floor as graceful as a ballerina.

“Something’s the matter,” acknowledged Damian, scanning her face. There was just enough subdue along her features that told him she was bothered. They exchanged a long stare before she revealed it to him.

“Kori said your father called,” she started, “she and Nightwing are going into Gotham with him tomorrow.”

Damian watch her stare mindlessly into space, her expression saying none of this was of no real importance. But when she flicked her gaze back to him, there was a hint of exasperation.

“You can’t mean _this_ bothers you?” asked Damian, knitting his brows in both worry and skepticism. He wasn’t sold.

“Your father is angry with me,” said Raven matter-of-factly in her monotone. “He doesn’t want to see me to the point of not inviting us.”

Damian appraised her critically for a moment. “I would prefer you not to say things that are so untrue,” he frowned. He held his arm out, his hand extended for her. After glancing at it, she gracefully did the same and their fingers intertwined as he pulled her closer.

“He’s upset I didn’t fight harder to revive you,” she breathed, sounding certain of herself.

“You fought harder than anybody,” Damian reminded her. “First by your own power and then to Azarath. No one could expect anything more. My father likely invited them to discuss more wedding details. And besides- he knows the evil of the pits.”

Confusion streaked across Raven’s fabled eyes. “Then why-“

“He doesn’t exactly handle loss well,” explained Damian with a grimace. “He knows what they could do, but when someone drops out of his world by death, the pain is unbearable to him. He once revived my mother by using the Lazarus Pit Deathstroke controlled under the ocean.”

“I remember the story,” said Raven. She mused for a moment longer. Damian’s frown deepened.

“That’s not all that’s bothering you.” They stared into each other’s eyes for a beat longer.

“ _You’re_ upset I didn’t want to use the Lazarus Pits to bring you back.”

Damian recoiled. It was a shock to his ears. For a long moment, neither of them said anything.

“You can’t be serious?” Damian said finally.

“Damian,” Raven sighed, “I have felt an _anger_ in you these last few days since Nanda Parbat… possibly resentment.”

“There’s nothing I would ever hold against you, Raven,” said Damian quickly. He held onto her hand more firmly. “Nothing you could ever do would…” he trailed off, thinking about what she could have meant. Raven had always sensed him better than he had himself. Something from that very night clicked.

“Maybe there is,” whispered Damian, “no, about the docks tonight,” he explained when he saw the look on Raven’s face. He told her about the fight at the docks tonight. How even Conner, usually apathetic to villains, noticed the extra damage Damian caused.

Raven’s expression remained docile, but she seemed to be studying him.

“We should speak with your mother,” she decided.

“You believe the Lazarus Pit infected me?” Damian asked skeptically.

“I think we need more information on what it’s felt like to her after being revived by it,” she told him. “Nothing good ever comes from my father’s power.”

Damian observed her and felt the seriousness of their conversation melt away. He lifted a hand to caress her face, surprising her.

“I know of one thing,” he murmured gently. He watched her eyes pop before mellowing and laid a hand over his own, lost in each other yet again.

~

Late the next morning, Raven, Damian, Kori, and Dick stepped through Raven’s magic and came through the Wayne Manor foyer, in between the now-familiar two grand spiraling staircases.

“I can’t tell you how convenient it is to not step outside into the cold to open a car door, Miss Raven,” came the voice of Alfred Pennyworth. He stood there, smiling, with his arms folded behind his back to greet them. “I was rather hoping the Batman would have invented a tunneling system throughout Gotham where he could pop in and out of any building unsuspectingly as a mole rat.”

“You do realize you’d be the one digging them, Al,” grinned Dick.

“The tasks of a good butler are never finished, Master Grayson,” said Pennyworth. “Master Bruce will be down momentarily. Master Damian, Lady Raven, shall I make arrangements for the two of you to be joining them? My apologies, I didn’t know you were coming.”

“It’s fine Alfred, we’re here to see my mother,” said Damian. “Is she still here?”

“She is,” confirmed Alfred, “Lady Talia has been spending most of her days between the library and Batman’s training facility.”

“Good to know some customs remain,” said Damian.

The next moment, the large wood doors opened and Bruce Wayne appeared, tall and elegantly dressed for both business and pleasure. His eyebrows raised for the slightest moment when he saw Raven and his son.

“Hello everyone,” he said. “Dick, Kori, the wedding planner wants to meet and discuss the decided location. Diana wants to meet us there.” His eyes slid to Raven and Damian, not impolitely. “Will the two of you be joining us?”

“Raven and I are just here to see mother, father,” Damian told them.

“Anything important?” Bruce inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“An evaluation,” said Damian ambiguously. “I’m assuming you’ve already performed one of your own?”

There was a poignant look in Bruce Wayne’s eyes, but he spoke steadily. “She seems to be suffering no form of necrosis,” he said, “nor experiencing any wild behavior or temperament from her time submerged in the Lazarus Pit-infused concoction. She’s reading one of Alfred’s favorites in the garden now. I think she is alright, Damian.”

“Then this should be a walk in the park,” Damian said, already turning. Raven went along wordlessly with him down the corridors.

“He’s trying not to show his dislike of me,” said Raven sadly when they were alone.

“He doesn’t understand you as well as he thought,” said Damian. “And Batman hates what his mind can’t quite comprehend. Unfortunately for us, there isn’t much his brain doesn’t catch.”

Raven flashed him a look sideways. “You think he knows?”

Damian felt his mouth form a tight line and nodded. “I gave away too much when I said ‘evaluation’. He knows we’re here for me more than her.”

Raven cursed under breath as she and Damian came upon the bright, antique-French styled doors that led out into the massive Wayne gardens and pushed them open.

Flora of colors ranging in the spectrums of pink, brown, blue, red, and orange would have made this wintry morning feel like springtime if it hadn’t been for the sharp cold winds. Talia Al Ghul sat on the carved marble bench between flowerbeds, looking eloquent as she read a thick novel, dressed in a wool wrap. She glanced up as Damian and Raven approached.

“My son,” she greeted. Her eyes went to Raven. “Hello again.”

“Mother,” said Damian. He folded his hands behind his back as she closed her book. Their eyes were unwavering as they appraised one another.

“I’ve been hearing of your many adventures,” said Talia, her eyes watching him closely still, “it seems you truly were destined for a life of heroics.”

“I’m this way because I carve my own destiny,” he disagreed.

“So you say,” said Talia, her eyes tightening fractionally. The wind blew her hair gently. “Tell me- did you keep the robe of the Demon’s Head?”

Thoughts of the emerald-and-gold robe flickered into Damian’s head, but he cast it away immediately.

“I didn’t come here to waste time with malarkey,” he told her evenly. “Raven and I wish to discuss your ordeals with the Lazarus Pit.”

“Doing everything as one already?” Talia considered the pair of them again. She stood up. “Very well then. Let’s make tea.”

~

“You know, there was a time when I truly thought you would never need it, my son,” Talia spoke. She sat across from Damian and Raven, who were settled on a cushy old-fashioned sofa, in one of the many sitting rooms of Wayne Manor. Steam rose from their warm mugs of tea and clouds gathered in the bits of the sky they could see through the windows, covering most rays of sun and darkening the atmosphere. Lamps against the walls were lit.

“Even when we began throwing everything we had at you, you managed to avoid death, as if you were destined to live. Father was so proud,” she continued, watching the outside rather than them.

“He bathed me in the Pits regularly, but you already know that, of course, Damian,” she said after sipping her drink. “What exactly about my experiences with it do you wish to know?”

He hesitated, wondering about his wording of it. Raven stepped in.

“I never want to place you in a bad state of remembrance,” she said, “but we need to know what state of mind you were in after leaving its depths for the first time.”

Talia waved her hand dismissively. “I was too young to truly remember. What you precisely need is my father’s experience with it.”

“Grandfather’s?” Damian asked.

“You and he are much closer in age and training when using it the first time than I was,” said Talia. “Remember your grandfather was a warrior before he found the Lazarus Pit. He was eleven years old when he killed his first man. You never once questioned his life _before_ he was Ras Al Ghul…”

“I never thought there was anything there I needed to know,” said Damian. “His life journey culminated while he was the Demon’s Head. Everything of importance was from that point on.”

“Indeed,” Talia mused, “ _after_ he found the Lazarus Pit.” She sipped more tea, letting that comment hang there.

“Go on,” said Damian brusquely.

“Growing up, I used to think your grandfather had such an angry, boyish view on the world,” she said, the corner of her mouth ticking upwards, “the many times I recall during training when he would tell me the grandeur of his _better_ world, the structure he would implement. He saw, in his eyes, _perfection,_ and was unsatisfied by the order of the world rendered by its leaders at any time. This isn’t at all the kind of man he was when he was younger. He never spoke in depth of his life then. I believe he was married in that first life to the true woman he loved. Though I know he pursued a life as a researcher and physician, the problems he sought never had to do with setting the world right but simply helping others who were not as… academically inclined as he was.” Talia met her son’s hard gaze. “Your grandfather was forced into hard acts, but he was a good man. If you’ve come here wondering if perhaps the Lazarus Pit changed him into what he was, then yes, I believe so. I believe it slowly molded his thoughts into grander things, him surmising himself to conceivably be a god with a right to rule in the end.”

“Was there ever someone saved that it took no real hold on?” asked Raven, a hint of desperation on her face.

Talia cocked her eyebrow at her. “No, but my Damian should be fine. As I said, this was done over time, the Pits twisting my father slowly. A powerful mind can be resilient to it, however. We found over time that simpletons were changed immediately into useless lunatics.”

“The experimentations of the late 1800s,” said Damian distastefully as Raven had an impassive face. Talia almost smirked.

“Indeed,” she said. Talia adopted a nasty look as she stared into her mug of tea. “It’s one of the key reasons we chose your father together to become _Ra’s Al Ghul_. If there was ever a mind born that could resist the effects of the Lazarus Pit, it’d be your father.”

Damian opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Talia set her tea down and sighed.

“You should encounter no such problems as becoming a murderous lunatic, my son,” she said, “but do not disregard all we’ve learned in the past. While most would say the Lazarus Pit morphs good men into murdering lunatics, it still remains that to those of higher breeds it is simply… eye-opening.”

Damian exchanged a look with Raven. Her expression was still patient, but in her eyes, he saw the same sort of unsettlement he felt.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Alfred Pennyworth stepped into the room.

“Dinner will be served in an hour, Master Damian and my Ladies,” the butler stated, “might I presume you will all be joining us in the dining hall? As Batman always says: ‘the more the merrier’.”

Raven smiled, feeling the tension being erased. “What are we having?”

“For sensible eaters, coffee-rubbed New York strip with bourbon and cream sauce,” said Alfred proudly, “for everyone else, a ball a cabbage.”

Damian threw a look Alfred’s way as Raven chuckled. Talia, however, looking distractedly outside.

“And who will be joining us this night for dinner, Alfred?” she asked as if she were uncaring of what the answer was.

Alfred cleared his throat. “Master Grayson and Lady Koriand’r will be coming back with Master Bruce. And I believe they’ll be accompanied on their return by Lady Diana.”

Talia’s expression remained passive as she stared out the window, but said with a tinge of a bite, “I’ll continue my novel, I think, and fix myself something in the kitchens later, thank you. _Please_ , give them _all,_ my regards.”

~

“The coffee acts as a naturally made dry rub,” Alfred was saying.

Damian was in the kitchens, copying his movements, thoroughly seasoning the slight remains of a poor cow.

“And the extra salt is to-“ Alfred said, eyeing Damian sideways.

“Counteract the bitterness of the coffee,” said Damian.

“Your skills will excel past my own in no time at all, Master Damian,” said Alfred warmly. He moved further to the right to look after a pot with a sauce mixture inside, stirring clockwise, then counter-clockwise.

Damian laid the steaks down away and added thyme, sage, and nutmeg into the pan. He wondered how long Alfred was going to continue to watch him surreptitiously from the corner of his eye.

“I wonder, Master Damian,” he finally spoke up, “if you’ve ever made one of these dinners for Lady Raven?”

“So I inherit the cooking skills from you,” said Damian, “and Grayson got the gossiping gene.”

Alfred chuckled. Damian went on.

“I…” his eyes tightened, “I made eclairs for her personally one morning. She has a fondness for pastries and tea.”

“Ah,” said Alfred, “you’re truly your father’s son at heart.”

Damian felt uncomfortable with the sentimental praise. He focused on not burning the steaks (which was more difficult to tell, as the coffee rub naturally darkened them) and set them on the plates when he’d finished.

“Dinner is served,” Alfred announced as they took the food out into the dining hall. Raven was sitting next to Kori and Grayson, across from Bruce and Diana Prince, who was in an elegant, shimmering blue dress, but not without her silver bracelets. Like his father, she was holding a glass of red wine.

“Thank you, Al,” said Bruce as the two chefs began laying the plates out in front of everyone. Damian took a seat on Raven’s right. She laid a hand on his knee and they smiled at each other before digging in; Raven to her steak like a carnivore, Damian to his German fried potatoes and arugula.

Alfred somehow kept a straight face as he placed a bottle of mustard next to Kori’s plate, who drowned her steak in it eagerly.

Raven took a bite and swooned, Damian was glad to see. Diana mimicked her across the table.

“Out of all the restaurants' Bruce and I have been to, I don’t think the food has ever come close to what he gets here at home,” she said, her voice naturally ringing with some sort of majesty.

“I always tell Al he missed out on all those Michelin stars,” grinned Grayson. There was a gleam in his eyes and, when he set his fork down, Damian smelled a gossip columnist.

“You know, I don’t think we’ve ever been regaled of _this_ tale yet,” he said, glancing between the two opposite of them, “how _did_ this come about? One day Batman was being, well Batman, alone in a cave, staring at a computer at two o’clock in the morning,” he said, ignoring Bruce’s look, “and then, overnight, boom- WonderBat.”

Diana stared at him incredulously. “ _WonderBat?”_

“You may use the phrase for any merchandise rights,” said Dick, smiling.

“Dick,” Kori groaned.

Bruce and Diana traded a look before Diana placed her fork down.

“Well,” she said, “it started when Bruce and I discovered the existence of the Gentle Man.”

“The gentlemen?” asked Dick.

“Not plural,” said Wonder Woman, “the Gentle _Man_.”

Bruce carried on the story, “Diana and I were investigating magical happenings detected by the League around Gotham about a year ago. There seemed to have been fissures ripped across the city, depicting another realm. When we discovered a tear large enough to fit in through, we found the Gentle Man, a hapless warrior bound to that reality.”

“His mission was fighting legions of vile monsters known as the Hordes of Gehenna day in and day out,” said Diana softly, cutting her steak again, absently.

“Figures it’d be some sort of brutal fighting to bring the two of you together,” said Dick under his breath with amusement. Damian scoffed.

“He’s a Gotham native,” said Bruce, “but he’d been fighting those monsters every single day for thousands of years.”

“That would make more sense if Gotham was actually thousands of years old,” said Damian.

“If only we’d gotten his origin first,” muttered Diana.

“At the end of the battle,” Bruce waved forward, “he helped seal the tears, effectively locking him inside that realm further to do endless battle with the beasts. Before we parted ways, Diana and I promised him _one day_ of relief.”

“We would trade places with him for _one day,”_ Diana said pointedly, now drinking some wine as they ate, “so that he could experience a brief spell back in a life of normalcy, away from the horde.”

“Why you two?” Raven asked.

“The realm negates super strength and magical abilities for the most part,” said Diana, “it requires _skill_ of pure battle, something Bruce and I have a distinct advantage of over our fellow _colleagues._ ”

“Because Clark Kent can barely box?” said Damian. Diana and Raven threw him a smirk.

“I’ll have to teach him more someday,” murmured Bruce, sipping wine and looking as if he was seriously adding a task to his mental list.

“So you two connected over the battlefield?” asked Kori with interest.

Diana put her wine down. “No.”

Dick looked quizzically between the two of them. Bruce obliged.

“We told you he was Gotham native,” he said, “and we didn’t learn that until after the fact. It turned out, time moved differently in that realm.”

“He’d only been gone from Gotham for a year,” said Diana, “Bruce had Alfred show him around the city to give him a look about what the world was like now… but the Gentle Man only wanted to visit his wife, who was still holding out hope that her year-long missing husband would turn up one day.”

“Whoa,” said Grayson, eyes going wide.

“So if he equivocated the time differential,” said Damian vehemently, “how long were the two of you _actually_ there?”

Diana and Bruce shared another look, this one a strange mixture of aggravation, amusement, and longing. Turning to them again, Diana had a bittersweet smile.

“Thirty-seven years,” she said.

The four Titans shared a mask of appalling disbelief, incapable of knowing what to say.

“You don’t age in this realm,” said Bruce, “you relieve every day of battle as if it were your first.”

“I still remember that first night,” said Diana, her bittersweet smile still intact, “wondering when he’d come again to relieve us. Waking up the next morning and still seeing no sight of him.”

“And how did this never come up?” asked Grayson hoarsely.

“It’s an odd conversation to have,” Bruce admitted.

“Well, the League knows everything, of course,” said Diana. “We all have to be aware of another realm where monsters could spill out into our world, should the Gentle Man ever fail.”

“So, naturally, after thirty-seven years,” Raven said slowly.

Diana shrugged with a mocking sort of grin. “You grow pretty used to the Bat getup after some time. We spent all of our nights in that cave, waiting for the next day, hoping the Gentle Man would come calling. Honestly, we ended up being pretty fortunate when we learned I couldn’t get pregnant in there.”

“Diana!” Bruce snapped as Kori giggled and Grayson roared with laughter.

“And so,” Diana carried on, “after _Julian_ spent his day and evening with his wife, Alfred took him back to the spot where the fissure was set, and charitably leaped back in, resuming his role as the Gentle Man.”

“Charitably,” muttered Bruce darkly, scowling at the remainder of his steak.

“It wasn’t all for naught,” smiled Diana, “we lived.”

“I guess, that’s a romantic story?” said Raven uncertainly. She shared an unsure look with Damian.

“It’s a story,” said Diana, “but it’s our story. Honestly, you all are taking it much better than Hal or Barry.”

“Or Clark,” Bruce added in an undertone. Diana reached over and placed a hand over his, and the smile they shared was genuine.

~

“Did you learn everything you needed?”

Damian looked at his father. Raven was at his side as Starfire and Grayson spoke with Diana and Alfred some feet away, preparing to depart.

“We did,” he said.

Bruce appeared to be examining him, his eyes, as always, seeming to have the ability to perform a sort of x-ray for truths. He turned his sights on Raven with a different look.

“It was good having the two of you here,” he assured, “I’m glad Damian finally has found someone who can remind him what ‘home’ is. Please… don’t hesitate to return.”

Raven looked greatly surprised. Her mouth came open, but she closed it without saying anything and simply nodded. She held on to Damian’s hand a little tighter.

Grayson looked around. “Hey,” he called, “where has Cassandra been this entire time?”

“She’s getting some solo patrolling in,” Bruce answered confidently. Damian detected some pride in his voice.

“No,” Diana coughed, “she’s on a date.”

Damian didn’t think he’d seen his father so caught-off guard.

“She is _not-“_ he began sharply.

“Oh, Bruce,” Diana said in a bored manner, “your son is younger than she is and he’s _living_ with somebody. Please don’t freak out over her going on a date.”

“Who is it?” Bruce demanded angrily.

“Some boy she’s met in town,” said Diana, “I think his name was Duke?”

“We should probably get going,” Starfire said hurriedly.

“ _Do we,_ though?” wondered Grayson, loving what was unfolding.

“Come on guys,” said Raven, grinning. She raised a hand and conjured a portal, from which they could hear the other side of the family, clearly arguing about cheating over foosball.

Damian privately thought that if he ever had to redo his life, he hoped he could come back and do this all again.


	19. The Wayne-Queen Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry! This was supposed to have been up days ago, but the election was making me lose y mind. It's too hard to write when you're so distracted.  
> But, here we are. Just over three months after publishing chapter one, we are 19 chapters in and a hair underneath one hundred thousand words. I hope you've enjoyed the journey thus far. Please let me know in the comments how I did.

January had passed, and the beginning of February brought lighter days with it. The thick fog that rose of the bay in the mornings was ever-present still, leaving damp chills all around, which left Beast Boy feeling drowsy and weak in those first few days, fated to bed rest and being nurtured by an attentive and concerned Jinx.

Pebble-sized raindrops hammered Titans Tower almost nonstop. What sunshine they found, they enjoyed it. Although Raven and Damian found themselves a cheating way of avoiding the never-ending dark weather and escaped to Azarath, where beauty was at its opulence day-in and day-out. They’d visited Lady Arella and Raven’s first home three times since the dinner at Wayne Manor.

There was no other news of Black Adam’s missing power. Damian had been on a video call with him, Nightwing, Kori, and Raven to Batman a few days ago when they found out there was still nothing to divulge.

“Shazam and the wizard are still searching to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands,” said Batman informatively, “but their investigations have turned fruitless for the moment.”

Raven looked somber. “What is the wizard doing for a home?” she asked.

Batman studied her. “There’s no need to be troubled, Raven,” he said, “the wizard Shazam was living among mankind before that day. He has quarters at the Hall of Justice until he decides a permanent replacement.”

Raven nodded and Batman cut the transmission.

Their days had also been filled with new mystery. Damian and Jaime arrived at an underground train station that was supposedly being converted into a gang hideaway, but when they’d got there, the enemies were down, tied neatly, and out cold. There must have been nearly a dozen of them, A large pile of illicit cash and drugs bags were mounded like a pyramid for easy confiscation.

“Did Jump City’s active citizens do this?” asked Jaime rhetorically as they looked around for anyone else. Damian found but one clue: a red arrow stabbed into the wall.

~

“You think there’s a new player?” Grayson asked that night. He was holding the arrow in between his fingers delicately, inspecting it. He, Kori, Damian, Raven, and Jaime were in comms discussing the matter.

“Must be,” said Damian, “this arrow didn’t miss its mark. It was left there on the wall as an insignia for someone to find.”

“But that doesn’t have to mean it was meant for us,” said Jaime, looking at Robin.

“A new vigilante scaring criminals?” suggested Starfire.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” said Raven dryly.

“We’ll keep our heads up and eyes sharp around town for news and sightings,” said Grayson, “but other than that, keep on doing what we’re doing. There’s no reason to vilify whoever’s done this. They took down some bad guys and didn’t make off with any of the cash or drugs. We could be looking at a potential new ally.”

~

It was a couple of hours later after bathing when Damian stretched widely and prepared for bed. Rain had begun battering the floor-to-ceiling windows of he and Raven’s room yet again, making the twinkling city lights of late-night Jump City merely a yellow, glowing blur.

Raven flipped a page in her new book. She was propped up on her elbow reading it contently in the light of her bedside lamp.

Damian lifted the sheets and moved into bed with her. Peering over at the sound of another flipping page, he saw her slender, pale shoulder arching as she faced the other way. He wondered if he could distract her for a little while. Running his fingertips along her arm, stroking it softly, he gently placed a kiss on the bare of her shoulder, followed by another. There was a smile on Raven’s lips as she looked over at him.

“Hi,” she breathed, closing her novel. It fell to the floor carelessly with a thud as she shifted to be more underneath him, wrapping her arms around Damian’s neck as their lips met. The taste of her lips was still indescribable. She curled her legs around him.

The night was pretty indescribable, too.

~

“This is so stupid,” Damian muttered irritably.

Raven made a distasteful noise with her mouth. “Damian,” she scolded lightly, “we told Jinx we’d do this for Garfield. We’re doing this.”

Damian groaned. Rainstorms yet again bombarded Titans Tower and the entirety of Jump City. Raven and Damian were both seated on their beds lotus style facing each other, ignoring the noise the rain made and gazing down at their phones. A laptop was open on the blankets to the side of them.

“He’s not even that sick,” continued Damian. He glanced up at his girlfriend. “Can’t you just heal him?”

Raven’s mouth twisted slightly. “Let Jinx care for Gar,” she said, “she wants to. Besides, this is helping more than just him.”

Damian stared at her. “This is _helping_ no one,” he said flatly.

Sighing tiredly, Raven said, “ _Damian,_ will you just-“

“Fine,” Damian submitted. The laptop came to life and Beast Boy was seen in a streaming video from his own bed three rooms down wearing a gamer headset.

“Well hello beautiful ladies and distinct gentlemen,” he said, sounding ridiculously upbeat for someone supposedly sick, “a lot of you guys know from my Tweeter feed that I’ve caught a bad cold this last week, but I’ve been getting over it with the help of _myyyyy amazing girlfriend,_ Jinx here!” He pointed the camera facing him to the left and Jinx was seen, sitting on the same bed, phone in hand. She was wearing some of the casual wear she and Raven had bought recently on a trip to town: a pair of designer lounge sweat pants and a black tee. Her tousled magenta-pink hair fell long around her, covering one of her eyes. She blinked, looking caught off-guard by the camera, and waved for the audience.

The feed went back to Beast Boy, who was grinning. Damian suspected he was playing up this ‘cold’ to milk it for as long as possible.

“She’s taken for those of you who don’t know,” Beast Boy said promptly. “And for all those of you who are just like me, whether sick, or trapped inside because of all this rain, or sick _and_ trapped inside, but with no pink-haired loving, wonderful girlfriend to take care of you, today is the day for you! Thank you so much for joining us in the Titan’s first-ever live Among Us stream!”

“No one’s going to take us seriously anymore,” said Damian gruffly. “I bet there isn’t even anyone watching this.”

Raven glanced at the laptop and looked back at Damian with an unimpressed grimace. “There are three-point-six million live viewers.”

“Damnit,” said Damian, disappointed.

“Let the games begin!” Garfield exclaimed. He opened a lobby and was joined by little astronauts labeled Jinx, Beetle, WonderGirl, Raven, Robin, REALflash, Donna, SuperMAN, and Supergirl, who’d just gotten her first ever cell phone a week ago. They streamed for Garfield’s audience for several hours. Damian felt a pang of betrayal shortly after the first game started as Raven ran by and chopped his character in half as he tried to fix navigations happily, guiltlessly lying her way through it on chat, thus eventually winning the game, being partnered with Jaime. An unforeseen irritation poured in when Damian couldn’t manage to win a game, whether impostor or crew member. The rest of the team seemed to find euphoria in calling him “sus” and ejecting him out into deep space. But the fun carried on back and forth, occasionally laughing with Raven over the absurdity of it all, enjoying these quiet moments in, the rain beating relentlessly on the windows and the wind whistling by. Garfield’s live viewership juggled and rose to a high point of five-point-two million.

They were good times. He found he wouldn’t trade days like this for perhaps anything.

~

It was a cold, windy night, the ground still wet from the rain that stopped mere hours ago. Robin leapt from rooftop to rooftop, probing the streets of Jump City.

“Hearing anything yet?” he asked, looking up.

“Nothing,” came Kara’s voice over his communicator. She was nearly half a mile up, flying over what were normally the dangerous parts of town.

“But also too much,” she then said. “It’s weird hearing so many different things you’re not supposed to while scanning. _Really weird,_ sometimes.”

Damian grimaced. “You’ll get the hang of it.” He stood atop the edge of a large apartment complex, sword out, the wind whipping his cape up. Lightning flashed behind him.

“Down your street!” said Supergirl suddenly. “Fighting’s going on! There’s a truck they’re communicating with heading down the freeway now, I’ll cut them off!”

“Good work, Supergirl,” complimented Damian. He rushed to where Kara had said the skirmish was occurring and found the aftermath in an enclosed area much like a garage. Damian saw a tabled flipped and money was scattered about. There were three large goons out cold again, but this time not wrapped up in a pretty bow for the JCPD.

Hearing quiet steps, Robin whirled around and raised his blade. He caught a strange figure raising their own weapon half a second too late.

But neither engaged. Damian was staring at the one who was surely the cause of this. It was obviously a slender female, doused in maroon. They had a red-and-black vest on, a red hood that seemed to be covering short dark hair, a mask much like Robin’s own but what was red as well, and a red bow with an arrow of the same color currently notched straight at Damian’s head.

“So you’re the one that’s been stalking around,” said Damian, not lowering his sword.

“Covering your ass, more like, since you’re always two steps behind,” she starkly replied. There was a noise behind Damian and the trajectory of her arrow changed- and fired.

Damian glanced sharply over his shoulder to see one of the goons had been coming around, but the arrow lodged itself in his arm and he fell to the ground again in pain.

The vigilante made a dash for it. Robin activated one of his links to the JCPD and threw it to the floor before pursuing.

“Wait!” he hollered.

“Not likely,” she called over her shoulder. She fired an arrow with a string attached to the edge of the first rooftop and pulled her up, like a grappling gun.

“Damnit,” Damian grunted. He quickly followed suit.

“Isn’t this just romantic,” the girl shouted back to him over the winds as they dashed and leapt across rooftops. “We’re like the new Batman and Catwoman from Gotham!” She turned and fired an arrow at Robin, who deflected it with his sword.

“Try that again and you better hope you’re blade-proof!” shouted Damian, gaining on her. “I just want to talk. Who are you?!”

She leaped to the next building with a mirthful laugh and turned, notching another arrow and firing as Damian was mid-leap himself. He was ready for it, but then he heard a noise than distracted him for the tiniest moment.

_“Damian!”_

He glanced up involuntarily to Supergirl’s scream, and the arrow found its mark, hitting hi square in the shoulder, going straight through his bone and out the back.

“Fuck!” he roared, falling down the alleyway. The pain was white-hot, but he had enough endurance to be of mind to kick off the building he was falling towards and shoot a grapple with his other hand to stop him from hitting the ground from eight stories up. He landed back on the rooftop with no vigilante in sight, but a concerned and scared-looking Supergirl floating in, covering her mouth with her hand.

“I’m so sorry!” she said. “I should have been closer. I-“

“Shouldn’t have distracted me mid-fight,” growled Damian. The red arrow was still in him, entering the front of his shoulder, the arrowhead going out the back.

He glanced at Kara, who was now looking very dismayed and sighed.

“I’m fine,” he ensured her. “I’ve taken worse than this. Let’s just head back to the tower. You did good finding them. Now we’re at the first step of knowing who she is.”

~

After explaining to Nightwing and Kori what they’d come across that night, Damian rested on the edge of the bed, peering out at Jump City.

Raven placed a hand on his back and begun healing him. It was much easier for her now, her strength ever-growing since her father’s removal.

“So another heroine is trying to kill you,” she started off conversationally.

Damian’s eyebrows knitted. “Is there a line?”

“Not yet,” she said, dropping her hands. The work was already done. Damian rotated his left shoulder, feeling good as new.

“I suppose I should thank you for healing me,” he mumbled dryly, a crooked smirk touching his lips.

Raven made an amused _TT_ sound.

~

“Seen the news?”

It was a press conference three days later. Half of the team stood in front of the thirty-foot, 16K resolution television that Damian splurged out to purchase for the team’s enjoyment upon reconstruction. He joined Nightwing, standing there and staring at Bruce Wayne answering a reporter on screen.

“Oh no,” his father chuckled, adopting his playboy-billionaire Bruce Wayne persona, “there’s not going to be any Wayne Enterprises takeover in Jump City, I assure you. This is just a tower we’re working with Queen Industries to construct. This glorious city needs a monument of clean energy and we have the means to provide.”

“Mr. Wayne,” an obscured reporter said, “many are suggesting that this tower is secretly a power move for your rumored run for presidency, to inflate your influence where it wasn’t already. Any word on that?”

“Ludicrous,” said Bruce easily, but his eyes became a tad sharper, “I have no intention of running for president.”

“But you would have the backing of Themyscira,” a female reporter said, “surely your relationship with Wonder Woman gives you some confidence in that regard.”

“I’ve never set foot on the island,” Bruce waved away, “despite what rumors say. And Diana and I’s relationship is strictly personal. She doesn’t tell me how to handle stock and I don’t tell her how to punch bad guys. Or Superman.”

There was some muffled laughter in the crowd. Bruce’s expression lightened before carrying on.

“Oliver Queen and I are having a get together with the mayor to celebrate the occasion,” he announced joyously. “A gala at the Imperial tower’s ballroom! Invitation only of course, but I promise plenty are invited. We want to share this victory of the people after all.” He paused, before going on with, “I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite the local heroes to which Jump City owes many thanks, the Teen Titans!”

Damian froze alongside many of them in the room as the crowd around his father cheered loudly.

“This Saturday night,” Bruce went on, “an evening before Valentine’s Day itself. Fun, music, drinks, and laughter.”

“Mr. Wayne,” addressed another reporter, “does inviting the Titans themselves not seem like a power move to put even _more_ heroes in your back pocket?”

Bruce Wayne frowned at the implication. “Not at all, Miss Grant. As a news writer yourself, you _should_ know my eldest is notoriously engaged to the leader of the Titans, Koriand’r of Tamaran. I’ve met her many times. He and Damian will both be present, of course.”

Starfire glanced at Nightwing curiously as Nightwing looked to Damian. “Did you know about any of this? Did he talk to you?”

“Not a word,” said Damian tensely. What was their father playing at?

Starfire’s chin rested on her hand as she appeared to be doing some thinking. “We’ll accept,” she decided, “we’ll attend formally, in uniform. Let’s not give the impression we’re mingling too friendly with politicians and savvy business investors.”

“Agreed,” said Nightwing. “I’ll need to find a good time to call Batman.”

~

It was much later that evening when Grayson finally got the chance. Batman’s face came to the screen finally in front of a seated Kori and Grayson, Raven and Damian standing at attention behind them.

“Titans,” he addressed.

“Batman,” greeted Star.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation Bruce Wayne sent out for your team so quickly, Starfire,” said Batman.

“Of course,” said Starfire, “but what’s going on, may I ask?”

“The Justice League is investigating some new recruits,” he said. He appeared to click a button on his end and his image minimized. Three separate new ones appeared. One was a muscular man in a green, hooded costume with a matching bow, the second was of a very attractive blonde woman in a leather biker jacket and fishnet leggings, and the third was of the slender female in a red hooded costume and bow that shot Damian.

“Her,” he said hotly.

“Her,” Batman nodded grimly. “Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Arrow. Or, as you’ll meet them Saturday, Oliver Queen, Dinah Lance, and Oliver’s little sister, Emiko.”

“You gotta be kidding me!” Nightwing started. “There’s _another_ billionaire playboy vigilante?”

“As far as I know,” Batman continued, “Oliver doesn’t know Bruce Wayne is Batman. The League sees the good he’s done in helping the ‘little guy’, so we want to look deeper into his character, but I’m taking precautions and not suiting up on this trip, hoping the Titans would aid in extracting whatever information we can.”

“We’ll be there,” said Starfire assuredly. But Nightwing frowned.

“You know this _Red Arrow_ shot Damian, right?” he asked.

“And I’ve punched Superman with kryptonite-strengthened brass knuckles,” said Batman, “we move past these things.”

Raven quickly turned a fit of laughter into a cough as Damian grimaced at her. He looked at his father again.

“And why did you draft Nightwing and I there in our regular personas,” he asked.

Batman took a second. “I would like you all there,” he said evasively.

“Well that’s not suspicious,” said Nightwing. But he was smiling, nevertheless.

“Wayne Enterprises will send an official letter with times,” said Batman quickly, “until then, business as usual. Titans.”

~

Nightwing stopped by Damian and Raven’s room the afternoon two days beforehand to talk to the couple.

“Hey guys,” he said when Raven answered the knock.

“Nightwing,” she greeted, “hi.”

“What’s going on Grayson?” Damian asked.

Nightwing cleared his throat, looked between the two of them, and said, “I just wanted to talk about things for the gala…”

Neither Raven nor Damian said anything. This obviously wasn’t a team meeting.

“You see,” Nightwing started off, and there was some awkwardness to him, “there’s… complications with us going as our unmasked selves. I wouldn’t- I just wanted to run it by you how we should all _act_ while we’re there.”

Damian caught what he was getting at the same time Raven did.

“Because Damian is going as Damian Wayne,” she said, “and not Robin, who I’ve been seen holding hands with.”

Nightwing grimaced. “Yeah,” he said in a heavy voice. “I’m sorry, Rae. You two should really keep as separate as possible while we’re there.”

It’s nothing they didn’t know but hadn’t spoken of yet. Childishly, Damian wished it wasn’t true and that his father hadn’t inducted him into the event as his son. He thought perhaps Raven would have liked to dance…

“We understand,” Raven told him. She shrugged. “It’s just for a few hours and it’s a mission anyway. We’ll see you guys at dinner.”

~

It was a very lively event. Out front of the tallest tower in Jump City was pandemonium.

Suave cars and stretch limos pulled in front of a red carpet area cleared for guests, spilling out businessmen linked to the city, Wayne Enterprises, Queen Industries, and celebrities of the area looking glamorous. Ropes sanctioned off a frenzy of reporters and flashy photographers.

Wearing the same dark suit he dawned at the H.I.V.E gala, Damian rode in the back of a limo with Dick Grayson, wearing a more party-friendly blue suit, and Kori, who the team convinced to embrace the gala with her fiancé, wearing a shimmering purple gown and white gloves, looking very happy.

“This is amazing,” she said, smiling. Their ride pulled to a stop and flashes from outside were snapped their way as Dick exited and extended his hand for Kori, elegant and charming in the Wayne manner. People swooned as he and Starfire made their way inside, his arm around the low of her waist.

_“Damian!”_

Damian flicked his gaze to the side where, between cameramen and reporters desperately yelling questions over the tumultuous noise, a few girls his age with big hopeful eyes were calling to him. He nodded their way but turned to follow his brother and Kori, not liking this at all.

“It’s him! And her! Mr. Wayne and Wonder Woman!”

Damian cared enough to glance over her shoulder. The next car had been the Aston Martin his father rented while in town. He saw Bruce Wayne stepping out, coming around the passenger side, and offering his hand to his own leading lady, the exact same way Grayson had. Diana Prince took it and they were standing hand-in-hand together. The media was in mania.

He politely awaited them with his hands tucked behind his back, trying his best to stay true to Wayne form. The flashing lights were driving him mad.

“Father,” he said as they walked up.

“Damian,” smiled Bruce, “I’m glad to see you and your brother found the place okay.” He spoke a little louder for everyone around them, whetting the media’s appetite. “Oliver beat us here. They’re already inside shaking hands with the mayor.”

Damian nodded and was making to turn when he heard a voice significantly yell, “It’s them! The Titans!” causing them all to turn.

They didn’t arrive in a limo. They flew, true to superhero form. For those who couldn’t, they were inside a large mystical bubble of purple energy that Raven conjured. Damian felt safe in watching her in those moments as all eyes were on them.

The rest of the Titans landed right in front as if a limo had just dropped them off and proceeded to walk towards the entrance in their suits as if prepared for battle, ignoring the media altogether.

Except for Garfield and Conner.

“Well hello, all!” called out Superboy. He blew a kiss to the ladies who’d been yelling for Damian. Damian saw Donna’s polite smile become rather fixed.

Garfield wrapped an arm around Jinx and pulled her close. He pointed high above him like a Rockstar with his other, adoring the camera flashes. “Beast Boy and his backup crew have arrived!”

Damian rolled his eyes like Jinx at that moment while Bruce Wayne greeted the Titans.

“I’m so glad you all came,” he said enthusiastically, “thank you for recognizing our journey for a better tomorrow. Please, join me inside. We share seating.”

They did so, at long last leaving the frenzy of flashes and news reporters outside, Damian fighting the strong urge of glancing Raven’s way.

The interior was quite grand. The middle was a great ballroom floor meant for dancing and luxurious high-society weddings. Spread out around it were many elegant, white-clothed tables where servers were busting about to deliver food and drinks to their attendees. There was a live band playing a sweet melody you could dance to.

Applause broke out as they entered, though, for his father and Wonder Woman or the Titans, Damian didn’t know, though he noticed many different stares. Some appraising, some envious, some just flat out sneering.

Grayson and Kori were at the Wayne-Queen table, already chatting up and laughing with their targets. Damian couldn’t fully restrain his eyes narrowing when he saw the face behind the Red Arrow.

Short black hair was fixed neatly into a one-sided bob cascading down her left side, nearly covering that eye. Smirking at something Grayson said, or perhaps nothing at all, she looked quite ready to whip out smart remarks all day long. A firecracker in a sleeveless red dress.

Oliver looked to be such an incredibly friendly fellow it was hard to believe he was a fighter at all. He gulped down half of a fruity cocktail and laughed loudly, gesturing to his wife about something and wiping his blonde goatee.

Dinah Lance was a strong reminder of Wonder Woman, though they looked nothing alike other than the sparkling blue eyes and black dress. Her blonde hair sweeping, she radiated confidence, probably even more so than his mother. Toned muscles flexed threateningly with her every movement.

“Bruce!” Oliver called, raising the remainder of his beverage as they took their seats.

“Wonderful to see you getting along so well already,” said Bruce, glancing between the two couples already seated.

“Oh, the ladies just trading war stories,” said Oliver cheerfully, “it’s a good thing if the house ever gets broken into, I’ve got a nice strong lady to hide behind while I call the police.”

They chuckled. Bruce looked to Dinah as servers placed plates of food in front of them and poured them wine. “I remember- you said you trained under a martial arts master last time.”

Dinah smiled crookedly. “Don’t always have time to reach for mace, so my mother wanted me to learn how to throw a decent punch. Emiko is learning from the same man now, actually.”

Emiko, who’d been staring down at her food (a small caviar tasting dish) unimpressed, looked up in a bored manner. “Learning to scrap is pretty fun, I suppose,” she said in a droll voice. Then she looked to Damian with some interest in her eye. “And what about you? How do the Wayne’s handle confrontation when it comes _flying_ their way?”

Damian studied her, trying not to glare. “We have a butler,” he said simply.

Emiko snorted and glanced out to the dance floor. Many couples were adjourning it together, Wallace and Supergirl among them, hand-in-hand. An uptick came to the corner of Damian’s mouth as Wallace placed his hands stiffly at Kara’s hips, looking not sure at all what to do and a little panicky. But Kara managed to lead him on without too much fuss.

Bruce and Oliver talked some more about business regarding the clean energy tower being built as Grayson and Kori danced. Many people came by to shake their hands and thank them as they ate and drank. He noticed out of the corner of his eyes Emiko continuously looking up to glance at him. She did so as they placed the seared foie gras with berry compote in front of them.

Dancing and laughter continued and Damian wasn’t entirely certain as to why his father thought the Titans were necessary for this. It seemed to him as if he had a strong understanding of Oliver and Dinah’s characters. Did he want them to perhaps include Red Arrow, the woman who shot him, into the Titans once the older couple got the invite to the Justice League? His eyes narrowed at that. They didn’t need someone with such a flippant attitude.

Damian glanced out the crowd. Conner was dancing with Donna again, watched practically by everybody. The son of Superman and one of the daughters of the Greek god Zeus. They drew perhaps even more attention than Beast Boy, who was wildly spinning across the dance floor with a madly giggling Jinx.

A coldness reached him at the next Titan he saw. Raven had accepted a dance with one of the boys their age there. Her expression didn’t match his insanely enthusiastic interest and she stopped his hand when he tried to move it lower on her back, but Damian glared into his drink and tried not to think about it.

“Well,” said Emiko, her spoon clinking to her plate as she set it down, “I suppose if you’re not going to ask me to dance, this will have to do.” She pushed her chair as she got up and offered her hand to Damian who stared at it along with everyone else at the table.

“That’s outrageously bold of you, she who didn’t want to be here,” said Oliver dubiously. Dinah was beaming.

“You coming or what?” asked Emiko, flashing a smile.

Damian considered it. Then he took her hand. They gained considerable attention walking out onto the dance floor together. He noticed, in his peripheral vision, Raven leaving it solo. He felt a bite of regret doing this.

For the mission, he thought.

He clasped one of her hands in hers and the other on her waist, beginning to move with the new, soft tune.

“You don’t speak much, do you?” asked Emiko, stepping with him gracefully.

“Only when there’s something to be said,” said Damian coolly. He spun her around. When she faced him again, their hands gripped and she twisted their bodies, her eyes flashing to his left shoulder.

“So what are you doing here?” he asked. “I can’t imagine it’s to loom over the project between your brother and my father.”

“Actually, I was,” she said absently, her eyes dropping. “I’m thinking of relocating to the area. I’ve been… investigating some potential _prospects_ of living arrangements while in town.”

“The apartment complex my brother and Koriand’r cohabitate offers a great view of the bay,” said Damian.

“Not the only place though, I’m sure,” Emiko said blankly. Damian made sure to hold his body away from her as she seemed to be trying to gravitate closer.

“Perhaps if you could explain why you’re choosing this area in the first place,” suggested Damian, ignoring the other dancers looking their way. He felt certain stares on their back.

“Oh,” said Emiko tonelessly, as if it were a long and unnecessary story, “just leaving heartache. I’ve recently broke it off with my long term boyfriend, Matrix, back in Starling City. We were together for so long, it hurt looking at the same four walls without his goofy ass being there. So I’m looking for a _change_. Some _adventure._ Maybe someone who can provide me with a bit of both.”

“You speak of people as if they’re tools to be used like one of your arrows,” said Damian, dropping her hands as the song ended. They stared hard at one another for a beat. “Find adventure elsewhere.”

The three couples at their table were no longer sitting, but risen and standing with company when they returned. Some of the Titans were greeting Oliver and Dinah, being introduced by Starfire. Damian’s teeth clenched when he saw Raven among them, turning her gaze slowly from the pair to he and Emiko walking up to join them.

“There they are,” called Oliver happily. He had another drink yet again and pink flushed his face. “We were just talking about the two of you! What do ya say, Bruce?” He nudged his father’s arm. “They look like a match made in Heaven, don’t they?”

“Looks can be deceiving, but you never know, Ollie,” said Bruce noncommittally, sounding like he was choking. Raven’s finger twitched at her side.

The night went on. Damian and Emiko did not speak again, despite Dinah glancing between them, trying to beget a spark. The mayor, a very pretty woman older than his father with a warm look in her eyes, got everyone’s attention as she thanked them all for being here, the Titans especially, and the Wayne’s and Queen’s for services to their city. There was a gargantuan multi-colored seven-layer-cake that was split for every guest. Emiko stabbed her desert, a sneer creeping upon her face.

And then finally it was up to Bruce Wayne to speak. Diana rose with him.

“I just want to thank you all for being here,” he said promptly, “and allowing Oliver and I to contribute what we can. Clean energy must start somewhere. I also want to thank the Titans for being here, taking the time out of their heroic schedules to listen to a couple of foolish people talk politics.”

Laughter ensued as a few of Damian’s teammates waved. Beast Boy blew a kiss.

“And I want to thank my sons especially, Dick and Damian,” Bruce went on. It seemed like his throat was tightening. He addressed the crowd again. “They’ve taught me a lot, you know,” he said, “out of all the things I’ve done as… _Bruce Wayne,_ I often find that raising these two boys might have been the only thing I’ve ever done right.”

More clapping ensued. Starfire threw a touched glance at her fiancé, who shared a quick, puzzled look with Damian.

“Richard truly found himself one of the good ones,” Bruce Wayne said. “They say behind every great man is a woman who's the other half. But that’s never really true, is it? No. The woman is never behind. You just think they are because they’re never in front. When the truth is that they’re always above, lifting us higher to _be_ better men. My eldest realized this a long time ago. And he recognized it for what it was. And, learning life through his eyes, so have I.” Bruce turned to Diana from the stunned crowd currently dropping their jaws (like Dick, Damian, and Kori now) and knelt down on one knee.

And that’s when it all clicked for Damian. Bruce didn’t need them there to investigate at all. The Batman already knew everything he needed on the vigilante trio. He just wanted his sons there in that moment as he took out something very sparkly and presented it to the princess of Themyscira.

“Diana Prince,” he said, his blue eyes melting, “from the moment we met, it’s felt like a lifetime that we’ve already spent together. If I get could get one more, I would die a happy man. Would you give me the extraordinary honor I don’t deserve… and marry me?”

The entire ballroom waited with baited breath. The expression on Diana’s face must’ve been a hundred different emotions combined. But then she swallowed and looked sure.

“Yes.”


	20. Valentine's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the nearly two-week delay again! After deleting it as it was nearly finished over a week ago, I just walked away for a few days. But I've got my fanzine's finished and back in the groove.   
> Twenty chapters down. Can I get a toast for maybe twenty more?

A celebration stemmed for what felt like hours. Judging by the dead of the night when they left, it _was_ for hours.

Reporters had tried breaking their way inside to capture a shot of the moment when word mysteriously leaked out to them. Kori was teary-eyed as Dick and Damian each hugged their father and welcomed Diana officially into the family. Some more dancing took place and Raven was glad to see Damian sit firmly down and enjoy a drink instead. Jaime was tugging lightly at her elbow shortly after music started playing again.

“Think it’s go-time,” he said. Raven nodded in agreement.

“Thank you all again for coming,” said Dinah Lance from nearby, easily supporting the weight of her near-comatose husband with one arm. Her crooked smile grew more uneven as her husband Oliver muttered something unintelligible.

“Thank you for the invitation. It was nice being here,” said Raven politely. She kept her face even as Emiko Queen appeared at her other shoulder, studying Raven. “You might want to fetch some coffee for you brother,” she said and turned on her heel to leave, a sight catching the corner of her eye.

There he was again, that boy she’d danced with. Raven’s eyes narrowed, watching him studiously sideways. What he had said…

“Come on,” came Jaime’s voice in her ear, a tad more urgent now. He tugged on her elbow. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Aren’t you the least bit curious as to how-“ Raven tried asking.

“We’ll talk about it later, Rae,” Blue Beetle promised. “For now, let’s go. Your boyfriend is watching you watch him.”

Fuck.

Raven began leading the way out, trying to keep her face even. She hoped Damian made it back to the tower soon.

~

It was half an hour past midnight and Raven was meditating in her room, eyes closed and still alone.

Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos… she repeated sagely in her mind. Calmness enveloped her. And then, like a dangerous lighter flicking in an abyss of soothing darkness, those words came back to her.

_“May I have this dance? Or must I go over there and ask_ Damian Wayne _for permission?”_

Raven’s eyes opened to the twinkling lights of Jump City in the distance. Where was he? Her thoughts turned to Damian and his family having late drinks with Emiko Queen and hers, and, for one moment, she felt wistful.

Then the bedroom door slid open and she dropped her meditation, landing gracefully on her feet. They stared at each other for a beat. Damian stood there, framed in the doorway, his arms folded crisply behind his back, looking as well put together now as he did at the start of the night.

Then he let out a gust of a breath and his eyes mellowed. Raven smiled.

“I wished you had stayed a while longer,” he said, coming in and shutting the door behind him.

“Everyone was getting tired,” said Raven. “I wish I had gotten to tell your father and Diana congratulations.”

“I don’t think Diana even heard mine over the uproar,” said Damian, removing his jacket. Raven’s eyes trailed down his body as he started undoing his shirt’s buttons. “You seemed… rather urgent to leave.”

Reminded of the reasoning, Raven lifted her eyes from the top of Damian’s abs. “I was,” she said, “it was about a boy attending the party.”

“Could it be the same one you danced with?” he asked, igniting tension again. He pulled off his shirt and met Raven’s eyes. His face was impassive, but there was a little anger and some accusation in the depths of those emeralds.

Raven stared at him in disbelief. “You’re spot on, it was the new life partner I’ve chosen,” she said blandly. Damian did his normal “ _TT”_ and looked away, annoyed. She put her hands on her hips.

“You have no right to be this way about that,” she argued, wising she could put a little more heat into it. But she was tired and Damian had begun undoing his pants. “Not after you _willingly_ danced with Emiko.”

Now Damian glared at her, looking misunderstood. “That was peer pressure at its opulence. I couldn’t turn that down with everyone at the table simply staring and expecting me to play a part.”

It was Raven’s turn to _tsk._ She’d watched Damian keep her at arm’s length… but still.

She kept her eyes trained on his as he stood there in nothing but his undergarment. Then he sighed.

“I don’t want it to be like this tonight,” he said, glancing sadly away, “you know I missed you at the dance.”

And Raven conceded. Coming closer to him, he wrapped an arm around her back and she placed a hand on his neck and jawline. Looking into each other’s eyes more with an entirely different feel than exasperation. She could make out the specs of gold in his emeralds when they were this close. He swallowed and seemed to regain his train of thought.

“What were you saying before?” he asked. “What about… that person?”

Rave dropped her hand, feeling weight coming back into the situation. “When he approached me, he asked for a dance. Before I gave him a straight answer, he wondered if I should ask _you_ for permission. _Damian Wayne_ , not Robin.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed. Raven told him everything else that was said, but there was nothing much to go on. A few comments here and there during the dance about the food and hoping she was having a good night. The boy obviously knew who each member of the Bat-family was, but she’d sensed no malevolence in his mind. Only a curiosity. And perhaps a longing as he glanced at the table where Damian and his family had been. On the side of that longing, she felt a worry, as though he himself hadn’t wanted to prolong dancing with Raven.

“That’s a jumble of particulars,” muttered Damian. “But his deduction skills can’t be worthless if he’s figured out Batman’s identity. I’ll have to contact father first thing tomorrow. I’m sure his attention is otherwise diverted tonight.” He looked surprised as Raven’s face fell. “What’s wrong?”

“Just like yours should be,” said Raven hopefully. Her arms wrapped around his waist, delicate fingers touching a light scar on the muscles of his lower back.

“When is my mind not on you,” Damian wondered out loud. He met Raven halfway as she leaned up, letting worries again fall away for a few more hours…

~

Dawn approached rather too quickly for Raven’s liking. It felt as though she had only just closed her eyes when the morning sun was beating against her eyelids, coaxing them open again. She wondered just how long her and Damian’s nightly escapade had taken. They couldn’t have actually gotten more than a few hours of sleep.

Proof of that was that, for once, Damian was still in bed with her. She watched him stir, stretch with his eyes closed, and reveal his emerald eyes, blinking wearily. They found Raven and both of them smiled.

“Hi,” said Raven, “fancy seeing you here.”

“I’m around every now and again,” said Damian airily, still stretching his muscles. His eyes landed on Raven once more, his hand coming slowly up to her waist under the blankets.

“Is there… anything you would like to do today?” he asked in a low, uncertain voice.

Raven smiled. Neither of them were very good at this.

But at least he remembered it was Valentine’s Day.

Raven snuggled a bit closer, grazing his abs under the sheets. “How about-“

_“Titans!”_ Kori’s voice rang over the intercoms. _“Debriefing in the common room, ten minutes.”_

“We go to work,” Raven finished off, staring at the ceiling.

~

Raven and Robin were among the first to enter the common area and one of the only ones who looked focused and ready and not disgruntled. Perhaps it was a bias, as neither her nor Damian were too eager for mushy, lovey-dovey endeavors, but she thought a majority of the team should have been a little more graceful and a little less adolescent about this. They weren’t being interrupted for no good reason. Donna, understanding this, seemed rather rapt compared to her rueful-looking boyfriend trailing in a step behind her.

“What’s going on this early?” grumbled Jinx. She at least tried to not look annoyed. Kori and Nightwing stood front and center, facing everyone.

“I know it’s an earlier wake-up call than usual Titans,” Kori started off, hands folded behind her back, “but we have reason to believe we’re in for a long day.”

Nightwing pressed a button on the remote he was holding and the large screen came to life. Images of several past Titan opponents filled it. Cinderblock, Killer Moth, Plasmus, and Doctor Light.

“We’ve handled these guys before,” said Blue Beetle confidently.

“But now they’re organizing,” Nightwing informed seriously. “I don’t know from when or even how, but there seems to be a brain behind this. Titans, we may be looking at the start of our very own Legion of Doom.”

“Cool!” said Wallace enthusiastically. He shied away after getting several sideways looks.

“Now, it’s public knowledge that today is a day when,” Kori looked to struggle with this next part, grimacing slightly, “couples of all ages get out together for a romantic evening… we have intel that suggests they plan on going after Oliver Queen and his wife, Dinah Lance, while simultaneously attacking several different locations.”

“Oh no,” muttered Donna grimly, now looking dejected.

“Wait,” said Jinx, “does that mean-“

“We’ll be patrolling throughout the entire day,” Robin finished for her, his mouth in a hard line.

“We have a job to do guys,” Blue Beetle helped remind them all, “we’re Titans.”

“Hasn’t this information been passed to Mr. Queen?” asked Kara. Nightwing and Kori exchanged a quick look.

“He received an anonymous tip late last night,” said Kori, “the same one we had in fact…”

“The girl after the party,” said Damian, “the one who clumsily bumped into you.” Raven stared at him, wondering what he didn’t divulge.

Nightwing nodded. “Kori and I had been watching Doctor Light’s situation carefully. We knew his escape was imminent. But we had no clue he had the means to release and gather three other S-tier inmates.”

“Someone’s been doing their homework,” Damian’s eyes narrowed, and Raven knew his mind was on the boy she’d danced with last night. She faced back to the team’s leaders.

“We need to call Batman,” she said, “there’s something we need to tell him.”

“Oh yeah,” said Conner, “that guy that d- _er,_ I mean, approached Raven last night,” he changed directions after a sharp elbow from Donna.

Nightwing and Kori looked quizzically back and forth between Raven and Robin. Damian was looking squarely above their heads, refusing to make eye contact. Raven sighed, hoping this would be over quickly.

~

Raven stood in the middle of a small group that consisted of her, Damian, Starfire, and Nightwing inside of the comms room a quarter of an hour later. Bruce Wayne answered their call immediately, already in a crisp shirt at this hour of the day.

“Titans,” he greeted. Diana Prince entered the backdrop of their grand hotel room in a sky blue bathrobe, watching intently over her fiancé’s shoulder.

“Have you found your measures to counteract the anonymous tips?” he asked.

“We have, but there are more problems on top of that now,” Nightwing hurried along, “Bruce, someone definitely knows who we are. Me, Robin… you.”

Bruce looked contemplating as Kori went on. “There was a boy Raven chose to dance with who knew Damian’s alternate identity.”

“He _used_ his knowledge of Damian to get me out onto the dance floor,” clarified Raven pointlessly, feeling a sting of annoyance at her friend’s words.

Raven thought Wonder Woman was having more of a reaction than her one-day-to-be spouse. Bruce merely looked thoughtful.

“Emboldened by assuredness,” he mused, almost to himself, “and to use Raven to coax an approach by one of us.” His eyes drifted upward in thought. “Hm. Not bad.”

Raven felt a little lost. She raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“Something you wish to share, father?” asked Damian, annoyance seeping in his tone. Raven swore there was the slightest uptick at the edge of Bruce’s mouth. He tapped a few buttons at his end and two pictures were displayed on the Titan’s screen. One was a news headliner from the Gotham Gazette. The other was a dashing young couple.

**Gotham’s Newest Dynamic Duo? Who is Red Robin and Spoiler?**

Curious, Raven’s eyes drifted downwards like the others to the apparent aforementioned couple. The pair, of exactly equal height, looked as though they had a long day in the photograph, sweaty and grimy, but still extraordinarily happy nonetheless. They had the same sparkling blue eyes, radiating with buoyancy. The boy, who Raven surely recognized by now, had tanned skin and dark locks similar to Dick’s. The girl had blonde hair, tied up into a neat ponytail that framed her face as if she were ready for work and for it to be out of her way.

“Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown,” Bruce told them. “A couple, both twenty years old, living in the heart of downtown Gotham. They’ve been shadowing Orphan and I for over a month now as Red Robin and Spoiler.”

“ _Red_ Robin?” asked Damian incredulously before anyone else could get anything out. “A child could come up with something less facsimile. Spoiler is at least original.”

“Damian,” Nightwing laughed.

“We’ve only been in close proximity a couple of times,” said Bruce, “and only one engagement. Orphan regrets having to slam him, but he got too close.”

“How long have you known who they were?” asked Nightwing.

“One week after we met,” said Bruce. He looked thoughtful again. “But _he knows_ that I know. Hmm. I can’t tell how he was able to distinguish Bruce Wayne as Batman, but Cassandra had a gut feeling they’ve known our identities for some time now. Guess I owe her that trip to China…”

“You’re supremely unconcerned with how he might handle such information,” Damian said coolly. Bruce looked more serious now.

“I’ll approach him soon,” he assured, “for now, worry about the ploy of the Jump City mega-malefactors.” His eyes flickered between the four of them with some sympathy. “I’m sorry it has to be today.”

“There’s always tomorrow,” Starfire said unhesitatingly. She looked nothing but diligent for the mission ahead. Bruce gave one nod and the connection cut.

~

Without a shadow of a doubt, the rest of the Titans were ready to start the day over.

“This sucks,” said Jinx jerkily to no one in particular that afternoon.

The boys had pretty much all left. Raven’s mouth twisted fractionally as Damian was dispersed along with Nightwing to get more information coverage on Doctor Light’s (who they were sure was the ring leader) potential plans. They had picked up moth tissue samples along a certain trail and Garfield, Blue Beetle, and Kid Flash were sent after him. Donna had just left with Conner and Cassandra at a report of Cinderblock in a certain area of Jump City. Starfire and the rest of them awaited any word on Plasmus and Doctor Light himself.

Raven and Kori both looked over at their pink-haired friend sympathetically. She felt wilted for them all. It was meant to be a Valentine’s of many firsts. Jinx and Garfield. Donna and Conner. Kara and Wallace. She and Damian…

“Did you and Garfield have any plans?” Kori asked softly.

Jinx’s glaring at the ground softened. “I- I don’t know,” she admitted. “He _seems_ like the… romantic surprise type. I was kind of hoping so.” She grimaced further. “I’ve never been on an actual date before Gar. Only flings. I like it… He treats me so well.”

Kori looked positively melted. Raven felt a new sense of adoration for the pranking changeling.

“What about you, Supergirl? Any plans with your beau-not-beau?”

Kara immediately flushed pink, which made Raven smile. “We’re not actually dating. I think. I’m not sure. Wallace probably didn’t have anything planned. But, yeah, I was thinking about asking if he wanted to go out for ice cream to McFleeney’s.”

“That’s a cute idea,” smiled Kori, “maybe you both still can tonight.”

Kara flushed deeper at the thought. Going at night would be much more date-like indeed. Without warning, their eyes turned to Raven.

“What about the Dark Prince of Assassins?” asked Jinx with amusement. “Any fluff and flowers?”

She almost laughed. If there was one thing Raven and Damian didn’t know, it was romance. Just… _feel_.

“Whatever we were in the mood for,” answered Raven easily. Though there was one thing… but she willed herself to stop thinking about it, not wanting to risk a blush.

At that moment, Kori’s communicator rang. She answered it, sobering instantly.

“Starfire,” came Cassandra’s voice, “Cinderblock is down. He was attempting to raid a highly populated early bird special. We took him out before anyone was hurt.”

“Good work,” Kori commended. “We have no word back from Beetle and nothing to go on for the other two. Head back to the tower after he’s secure.” She clicked off the connection and looked deep in thought.

“Something up?” asked Kara.

“A monetary raid?” Starfire questioned. “Cinderblock? That doesn’t fit at all.”

Raven thought like Damian for a moment. “Distraction?” she wondered. Kori met her eyes and knew she was on the same wavelength.

“Any one villain would know there’s too many of us to get away with anything,” she said. “So they spread us as thin as they could…”

“But what are they after?”

The girls thought in unison. Before they could make much headway, however, the communicator rang again. This time it was Nightwing.

“Kori, Plasmus is gaining steam on 54th,” he said, “he’s not really going after anything in particular, just out of control on some kind of rampage. Need a control crew.”

“Finally,” Jinx stretched delightfully. Her eyes began to glow in that dangerous pink.

“We’ll all go,” said Starfire. “You, me, and Kara will take Plasmus head-on. Raven, group with Nightwing and Robin. I want you to handle Doctor Light.”

Raven nodded, swirling them in dark magic, and they were gone.

~

Perhaps it was the knowledge of what the day was, but Raven thought Jump City had a rather romantic feel in the air.

It was quiet in the part of town they were in and dusk was starting its early, daylight-savings-time arrival. There was no one on the rooftop now but the two of them, as she stepped out of her own portal ten feet directly behind Damian, who was framed in the shrinking sun.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming to the party,” said Robin without turning his head. Raven smiled, joining him at the edge. They overlooked the vast majority of the city.

“What would you have liked to do today?” he asked unexpectedly. Raven glanced at him in surprise.

“You know it doesn’t matter,” she said to him, but her boyfriend only looked dejected.

“Raven, I didn’t have anything planned.” And he said it like a major fault being explained out loud that he was sorry for. He looked at her. “I-“ but Raven grabbed his hand before he could go any further.

“I just wanted us to keep being ourselves today,” she told him, smiling at his flustered state, “and that doesn’t involve a vase of roses and candlelight. We’re not Kori and Dick, Damian.”

Damian looked grateful, but also a little puzzled. “Then why do you usually light candles before sex?” he asked.

_“Damian!”_ Raven blurted out incredulously, blushing. With a grin, he turned back to the city.

Nothing was amiss for a while. They learned over comms that Starfire and the others were having a hard time wrangling up Plasmus, though obviously defeating him in battle, and that Killer Moth was being very evasive against Jaime, Gar, and Wallace. The sun was getting very low when Damian urged Raven to follow him.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“That Doctor Light chose a very specific time to strike,” he answered. Raven floated behind him as he moved swiftly across rooftops. “And that there’s only one reason to risk it while Wonder Woman was in town.”

Raven peered out in front of them. There was a very picturesque balcony dining scene under a terrace across the wide street with a low number of white-clothed tables. She could just make out a couple of patrons. Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance were having red wine poured for them, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. Raven stopped by Damian, a few stories higher than the dining couple and back enough on the opposing roof to just be out of notice.

“You think Light is-“ and then she stopped. She felt curiosity mixed with intensity behind them and whirled around, igniting her hands with dark energy. Damian mirrored her less than an instant behind, sword drawn.

And there they were. Directly across the rooftop from them. Raven thought his outfit was rather odd. A black cowl-like mask like Batman’s that connected directly into his cape and a bronze medal of some kind with the head of a bird on his chest. The rest of his suit was red-and-black like Damian’s with a matching utility belt. He held a long Bo staff at his side.

She looked cooler, in Raven’s opinion. A mainly black attire fashioned with a purple cape and hood. Opposite of her partner’s, the bottom half of Spoiler’s face was covered, like a ninja. Raven saw blazing blue eyes and a hint of that blonde hair under a purple hood. She held tightly onto a pair of Escrima sticks just like Nightwing used in each hand, more at the ready than Red Robin.

“You almost beat us here,” Red Robin said conversationally, “that’s impressive work.”

“What are you doing here?” demanded Raven before Damian could go on the attack. His sword was still pointed right at Red Robin and Spoiler was watching him closely.

Red Robin raved his free hand palm up in a peaceful, passive gesture.

“For the same reason you are,” he said rationally, “we just want to help.”

Raven studied the pair of them, reaching around with her emphatic abilities. Nothing deceitful could be felt…

“Have you finished scanning us, Raven?” Red Robin asked cautiously. Still watching him wearily, she dissipated her energy and lowered her hands. Damian didn’t quite follow suit, but reluctantly lowered his sword a few degrees.

“Doctor Light will be here any minute,” said Red Robin, walking closer to them. He and Spoiler took every step absolutely in sync. “He’s after-“

“The plans for the battery that will power the new tower,” finished Damian, “which Oliver Queen has ready in a blueprint saved to his phone.” Red Robin only looked more impressed.

“You figured the whole thing out properly,” he said with a smile that none of the other three shared. Raven was almost disoriented by how friendly and good he was to his core.

“Why have you been shadowing Batman?” asked Raven. “Why all the way here?”

Spoiler and Red Robin exchanged a quick glance. Before explaining, Spoiler let out an almost inaudible sigh from beneath her mask and straightened up, grudgingly dropping her fighting stance.

“I’m sorry about coercing you into that dance against your will,” Red Robin apologized, “There was no way a party-crasher could approach that table and I needed a means to talk to them without any violence in between.”

“You think _that_ wouldn’t have caused violence?!” seethed Damian, sword inching back up.

“He’s right,” Raven bristled, eyes narrowing again, “use me as a tool again and I’ll show you violence like Gotham has never seen.”

“Look, I’m sorry,” Red Robin tried again, “I really am. For what it’s worth, my better half advised me against it. She thought there was a better way to do it, but… I tried approaching him as Batman and that didn’t work out.”

“You mean when Orphan put you on your ass?”

“ _Okayyy_ , we’re all a little tense here, I get it,” said Red Robin, a touch more frantic and throwing a look that held a bite of irritation at Spoiler, who had just snorted. “But please, can we discuss this _after_ Doctor Light? If he gets ahold of the plans for that battery while we’re up here arguing-“

As if right on cue, Raven felt the resolve for violence. Raven looked to their left and the other three, upon noticing, did the same. Tired, skin-cracked hands grabbed the edge of the building and they heard a loud grunt as Doctor Light hoisted himself up. He was panting and practically grabbing a stitch in his side as he finally planted his feet on the roof with them. He leaned over, focusing on deep breaths as he tried to regain his composure. Damian looked at Red Robin.

“Thank you for saving us from this mass destruction,” he said dryly. Raven scoffed.

Doctor Light glanced up quickly in alarm. He had just realized he wasn’t alone. He stood tall and pointed his blasters at the quad of young heroes, a sulfurous light igniting within them.

“Stay back all of you,” he warned, “only _I_ am meant to hold the power of that technology! With it, I will shine my light on a better world. A perfect civilization. A utopia! Doctor Light is as limitless as the sun itself.”

Raven felt almost bad for him. Spoiler looked across at her and Robin.

“Does he normally go on like this?” she asked. “Is he finished yet?”

“They never finish,” muttered Damian wearily.

“I did all of that work,” said Tim slowly, as if realizing something obvious that dumbstruck him, “figuring out when Jump City’s villains would be planning to strike, why they would, how they would, deducing what they were after… and this is the kind of villain that would explain his whole plan in thorough detail before killing someone like some stooge from a B movie.”

“I’m not finished-“

“We know you’re not,” said Raven, “we don’t care.” She began stepping forward, and Doctor Light’s eyes widened.

_“You!”_

“Me,” nodded Raven agreeing calmly. She heard Damian sheath his katana behind her.

“Still afraid of the dark?”

Doctor Light fired with all the juice he had available. But it was quantifiably less than last time they fought, which wasn’t enough to beat Raven then. And lately, she’s felt stronger than ever.

She raised one hand out in front of her and met his blast in a stunning, beautiful contrast of light and dark that was a show for the balcony diners. In moments, it faded, and Doctor Light was out cold, scorch marks all around him. Raven made sure to feel out that he was truly unconscious, a habit she knew she would now have forever after Killer Frost…

“That was almost anti-climactic,” said Spoiler.

“Great work?” said Red Robin uncertainly.

Raven looked up as Damian walked to her side.

“I beeped the team right before you fought,” he told her, “they should be here in a few minutes. Starfire and Nightwing, at least, anyway.”

They looked back around at the other couple. The two pairs studied each other and Raven could feel the other duo’s suspense. Tim was watching Damian, hoping. Damian tilted his head slightly.

“Why Batman?” he asked.

Red Robin’s jaw muscles worked. “I just- I just want to be next to the person that can give me the best chance of helping people,” he said honestly, “and after the person right here next to me, it’s Batman. Whatever we can do, maybe we can do together. And then maybe no one gets hurt. Whatever gets us the best chance to make that a reality, I’m game.”

Raven joined them in watching her boyfriend. After a long moment, he sighed defeatedly, and she smiled.

“I’ll talk to father,” he said grimly. “He’ll come to you, but back in Gotham.”

Raven felt the other couple’s delight, like a congratulation after a long, hard day at work that truly meant something. Her smile returned, but for them and their internal glowing.

Spoiler had begun looking around, inspecting the area further. She seemed to notice something they all were missing.

“Hey guys?” she called.

Robin and Raven, who were gazing at one another, looked up at her words to see that she was standing on the edge of the rooftop, looking out across the street. They and Red Robin walked over. The people who were dining were looking up in terror, all except Oliver and Dinah, the latter of which was sipping her wine without a care in the world. Raven saw the vile damsel Emiko walk towards them from somewhere inside.

After a moment of nothing happening, Red Robin looked to Raven and Robin curiously.

“Shouldn’t one of you go over there and let them know everything is alright and under control?” he wondered.

Damian _TT_ ’d. “They’ll calm down when they figure out nobody is dying.”

Red Robin and Spoiler just stared at him.

Raven looked at Tim Drake. “Why don’t you go? Let them know you’re here helping the Titans control an outbreak. The world would feel safer seeing more heroes emerge.”

Red Robin looked like he liked that idea. He grinned and grappled over, landing on the edge of the balcony just like Batman, Nightwing, or Robin would. He scared a few people at first but began assuring them the Titans had everything taken care of already. Raven swore she saw Dinah Lance glance their way and wink.

“We really do just want to help,” said Spoiler. Her eyes, no longer blazing with determination and readiness for the first time, were pleading. “In any way we can, we want to help people.” Her eyes drifted to Robin. They stared, studying one another.

“We-“

“So, you available?” they heard.

The trio turned their heads downwards. The balcony had nearly cleared of romantic diners, but Emiko Queen was still there, approaching Red Robin rather closely, who stiffened, her hands folded cutely behind her back.

“Oh, hell no,” snapped Spoiler. She grappled over and landed at Red Robin’s side like a bomb ready for war.

Raven couldn’t help it. She shared a look and a wide smirk with Damian.

~

It turned out to be quite the fantastical evening.

Shortly after all the villains who’d escaped had been returned to their cells, under tighter security, Raven and Robin made the introductions. Most of the team weren’t thoroughly as impressed with Tim and Stephanie as Raven was, them having not been there for the good parts, but Dick was at least keen on conversations with them, admiring how they seemed to be the first people to ever deduce who Batman was through strictly intellectual means. He promised to talk to Bruce with Damian about getting them into the Bat's inner circle.

Jaime would be spending the night with his fiancé out of the tower. Damian egged Wallace on to talk to Kara who asked, in a rather high-pitched voice, if he’d like to go out for an ice cream cone.

And Raven found herself blushing when she walked into the kitchen for a quick drink later that evening.

“Oh baby,” swooned Jinx. She was seated with her legs draped over Garfield’s lap, their foreheads pressed together, oblivious to the world around them, “you’re not going to want to stream what we’re about to be up to,” she whispered.

Raven coughed very audibly, making as much noise as she could.

Damian was resting on their bed when she returned, busy typing something away. He looked up when Raven reentered the room, giving her a warm smile. She felt hot thinking about what she was about to do as she entered the bathroom. She reached for what she had placed in the cupboard under the sink that morning, hoping to surprise Damian.

When she finished changing, she checked herself over in the full-length body mirror. Showing skin had never been much of a thought. But it just felt different when you _tried_ be sexy. The bra that came with the garter was practically see-through. She turned, fidgeting with the waist-line lace of her new underwear. Her entire bottom was exposed and she flushed pink. Raven met her own eyes in the mirror.

“Don’t be a coward,” she muttered. Swallowing it down and feeling a bold resolve, she opened the door slowly, hoping to draw his attention from whatever Damian was doing.

It worked. With sweet satisfaction, she watched his eyes pop when he saw her.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said in a low, soothing voice. His crooked smirk came in and his wrist twitched, tossing his phone carelessly to the floor. Raven strutted slowly to the bed, loving his eyes hungrily going up and down her body, and met her soulmate with the first deep kiss of a long, long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown, like Batman and Orphan, will be primarily stationed in Gotham, so they'll be recurring characters instead of mainstays. I probably won't be adding anyone in the near future either. I have so many characters in this story now that I'm not giving everyone enough love as is. But, I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you for reading!


	21. Just A Relaxing Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely have no idea how I did with this one. Please let me know in the comments. >.<

Winter was gliding into spring in what felt like perfection. It was a smooth, easy time for the Titans, who had nothing to do besides routine patrols in the latter half of February.

Before the month closed out, Damian received a video call from his father as they were preparing for bed one night with a mixture of lighthearted and somber news.

“I’ve accepted Red Robin and Spoiler’s help on patrols for the moment,” said Batman.

“So you’ve inaugurated them to the Bat-Cave?” asked Damian, a bitter tone in his voice. Raven turned away from them, fighting a smile. It was just one dance to get their attention. Red Robin obviously didn’t secretly covet her.

“Even if I didn’t trust them,” clarified Batman, “it’s good to have more hands-on for patrols and to keep close tabs on someone who knows all of our identities.”

“So be it,” said Damian irritably. Raven sat on the bed in the background and saw Batman seem to struggle with something.

“There’s something else?” Damian asked.

Batman stalled for a moment, and then said, “Your mother was gone when we woke up this morning.”

Raven watched the back of her boyfriend’s head, gauging his reaction.

“You had to have known she wasn’t going to stick around after you declared your undying love for another woman,” was all he said.

“Regardless. I thought you should know.”

“Thank you for keeping me so well-informed,” said Damian shortly, “good luck on patrol.” They shared a small look before Damian cut the connection. Raven watched him stand and observe nothing, his mind racing.

“You think she’s gone back to the League?” she asked.

“I was hoping the time with my father would have more of an acerbic impact on her,” he said, “but, yes, she’s gone back to the League…” He glanced down, his eyes tightening.

Raven was at his side that moment, her hand finding his, which unclenched instinctively for hers and folded together. Their eyes found each other’s, melting worries.

Whatever problems they had, they would have them together.

~

Raven spent much of her time avoiding the sharp winds of the dying winter in Jump City by staying inside with Damian, or otherwise training with the team. 

Practices of team formations were getting better than ever. Cassandra and Kara were working flawlessly with Wallace on several moves and soon Kori had specific patterns of the three of them drawn up. Conner would get driven mad some days (though he did his utmost not to show it) when Donna would regularly beat him in one-on-one combat. Pretty soon he started staying that extra hour or so of training that Damian and Dick always took to refine his fighting techniques.

“He can keep trying all he wants to,” said Donna smugly one day as they watched him go to the Bat-brothers for help, “the results always going to be the same.”

“You sticking around to give him some pointers?” asked Raven.

Donna laughed. “Nah, I’m running patrol with Cass here soon. Let the boys have their fun.”

“Try to, anyway,” Raven smiled, watching an aggravated Damian try to teach Conner some counters.

~

Raven woke up on the first day of March as the sun was just beginning to rise. She felt Damian roll over on his side next to her, their bodies pressing together through tangled sheets.

“Morning,” Raven mumbled as he wrapped an arm around her. She still kept her eyes shut, not wanting to get used to Damian’s absurd sleep schedule, but her senses were coming around more as she felt his breath on her neck.

She took ahold of his hand that had reached for her and kissed his knuckles. He nuzzled closer, kissing the back of her shoulder. Raven’s eyes fluttered open, arching her body into him. She gasped as his ripped chest connected with her upper back and his hand found her hip.

“Raven..” he cautioned themselves over their base instincts taking over.

“Everyone’s still asleep,” Raven moaned in a low voice, reaching behind her to run a hand through his hair, “no one’s as crazy as you are.”

He huffed a laugh that swayed her hair and erected goosebumps then argued no more.

Kisses trailed her back which made Raven’s breathing heavy. Damian had perfect tenderness as his thumbs hooked upwards into her panty line and pulled down. She clenched the sheets as his hands explored the crooks of her body.

A thought struck her as she felt his member on the side of her hip. They hadn’t done it this way before yet. She and Damian really had only ever been on top of each other. It was a little exciting.

A hand on her hip, she felt Damian move more on top of her, but Raven stalled him as she curled her legs underneath her, propping him up as well. She felt his curiosity as to what she was doing and the immense arousal as the covers fell off them and she was on her knees before him.

“Come on,” she whispered.

Excitement overwhelming him, Damian’s hands were on her butt. Their excitement tangled together as he got situated. Raven’s breathing became unsteady before gasping as he entered her.

The angling was almost perfect for her. She liked it even better than when she was on top. She clenched handfuls of their bedsheets feeling in bliss, listening to Damian’s heavy breathing that matched the rhythm of his strokes and the sound of them.

“Oh, god,” panted Raven, “Damian!”

His hands rotated back-and-forth from her bottom to holding her by the hips, picking up his pace. The smacks were getting quite loud and Raven rested her head on the bedsheet as he continued, grunting. Her eyes were rolling up as she came closer to release.

She sensed him just over the edge as well, mind gone in ecstasy.

_“Raven!”_ Damian groaned, pushing all the way in her, connecting their hips. Raven moaned loudly into their covers, releasing with her boyfriend simultaneously. His hands were grabbing her ass tightly.

Sliding out of her, Damian fell to Raven’s side, to the exact spots they woke up from. Raven reached an arm around her boyfriend’s chest. Their eyes found each other’s.

“Should we, um,” Damian started.

“Let’s just at least sleep in until training today,” said Raven. Damian gave a quiet laugh as they cuddled closer, Raven napping on his chest yet again.

~

The beginning of March brought slightly warmer afternoons, but the consistent every-other-day rain remained. On one of these, a few days into the month, Raven came across Wallace and Kara staring intently at a newly set up chess board as she walked into the library looking for a new novel to read before bed.

“You think you got this?” Wallace asked, raising his hands to the chess pieces as though he was going to strike them down.

“I have my plan,” smirked Kara confidently. Wallace matched her grin and, in a thousandth of a blink of an eye, it was over. Raven looked amazed upon the finished game as Kara leaped up in joy, Wallace’s king in her hand.

“Finally!” she cried rapturously. She was smiling from ear to ear at her maybe-maybe-not-boyfriend, who was trying not to make a face.

“Only took a month,” said Wallace, a sour note to his tone.

“ _I know_ ,” said Kara, “only a month and I’m already better at Earth games than you,” she rubbed in. She chuckled as Wallace’s scowl became more pronounced. “Come on silly, loser pays for ice cream, and I’m feeling a triple scoop to commemorate my victory.” She offered her hand to Wallace, who took it and held on after she’d pulled him up. Seeing Raven noticing this, Kara blushed pink, and Wallace looked smug.

“Adorable, aren’t they?” asked a voice after the young couple had gone.

Raven glanced over to the corner where the voice had come from. Cassandra was in one of the cushy red armchairs snuggled there, a thick volume in her lap. Her wavy blonde hair was pulled back with a black hairband and had an easy smile on her face. Like Donna, and perhaps all Amazonians, Cassandra had the gift of appearing like a model ready for a shoot no matter what time of the day or where you caught her.

“They’re good for each other,” Raven agreed, “they’re both on the happy side.”

“Which is outstanding, considering what she’s been through,” came another voice.

Both girls turned to see Dick in the doorway, in his black tee, jeans, and bare feet, just as if he were lounging around at home. He cocked an eyebrow.

“Anyone wanna explain why Wallace is both holding Kara’s hand and looking sulky down the hallway?” he asked.

“He’s suffered a tragic loss,” Cassandra said dryly. Raven laughed.

“For better or for worse,” said Dick sagely.

“At least he’s got somebody to share a loss with,” muttered Cassandra. Raven felt the bitterness in her that hadn’t quite found its way to her tone and frowned. Dick watched Cassandra for a moment.

“There’s someone out there for everyone,” he said. Cassandra looked as if she almost wanted to laugh.

“You don’t say?” she said briskly in a sudden strained sort of voice. “I’ve been on this team longer than Kara has been on this _planet_ and she’s found someone already.”

Dick laughed and Raven stared at him incredulously.

“You’ll meet someone, Cass,” he said confidently once he came out of it, “the right person takes time. Both of the Batgirls in Gotham are still single? Babs hasn’t rushed it.”

“I’m not saying I’m trying to,” explained Cass patiently, closing her thick novel, “but it would just be nice to have someone to play chess and buy ice cream with. It feels like I’m living in a Valentine’s Day movie sometimes. Especially anytime Jinx and Gar are in the vicinity…”

This time Raven joined Dick in laughing.

“Okay,” he said, grinning, “I’ll give you that one.” He eyed the thick novel in her hands. “What are you reading anyway?”

“ _Twenty-three Reasons Why I’m Still Alone,_ ” Cassandra said without hesitation. Dick and Raven stared at her until she looked up again. “What? I’m kidding guys! It’s a mystery line Kori turned me on to. Sheesh…”

~

“So she’s definitely sticking around the city.”

Raven glanced from Dick’s uncomfortable face sideways at Damian’s furrowed expression. They were in the comms room two days later when Kori and Richard had informed the pair of them that Emiko Queen had indeed moved into the adjacent apartment from them.

“Interesting how the apartment directly next to yours becomes vacant just in time for her to move to town,” interjected Damian, eyes narrowed.

“We’re _not_ assuming any foul play,” said Dick crossly. He and his younger brother were in a staring match.

“We already know she uses potentially lethal methods,” argued Damian, “if she hits the streets as Red Arrow again, we should halt her.”

“Green Arrow nor Black Canary has ever killed anyone,” reasoned Dick, “and we have no evidence of Red Arrow doing the same. As of now, if she happens to patrol Jump City in a mask, she’s no different from Batman.”

Damian’s frown grew more sinister. He didn’t like that comparison.

Raven looked to Kori. “We should at least monitor her. Make sure she isn’t causing more trouble than she should.”

“Yes” breathed Kori, looking relieved, “there’s enough of us to keep tabs on Emiko. If she crosses the line, or puts any toe near it, we’ll stop her.”

“So be it,” said Damian, though he didn’t look satisfied. He averted his eyes upward, avoiding their gazes, to the screen above Nightwing’s head that played a worldwide news channel monitoring the heroes of the world. The young caramel-haired reporter was going over what most channels had been repetitively covering for the last three weeks.

_“As of this moment we have nothing further to add post the announcement of the world’s new Royal couple. Though a reliable insider source continues to tell us Wonder Woman’s father, Zeus himself, will be present at the holy ceremony. Still no word how Superman or Colonel Steve Trevor is taking this blow.”_

“Hmm,” mused Raven, “Zeus. I’d show up for that.”

Kori sighed. “The media is getting ridiculous. Superman stopped a city-wide asteroid from crashing into the moon last week and _nothing_.”

“Guess it’s better than politics,” Dick tried, glancing up at the screen behind him and not really looking like he believed that.

“Maybe it’s not so bad,” suggested Raven. “You guys wanted a small wedding. This helps take eyes off of it.”

“True,” Kori agreed, sharing a look with Dick.

“The marital proceeding is only about a month away,” said Damian. He looked between the two, a smirk at long last touching his lips. “How are the feet?”

“Damian!” Raven shot, shooting him a look.

Dick, however, chuckled. “Fine, Damian. Everything’s planned out and I’m more than ready. But Alfred has been killing me with his dead stares ever since I told him it’s a come-how-you-are event.”

“He’s traditional,” said Kori fondly. She was absently rubbing the pink diamond ring on her left wedding finger. Watching dreamily for a moment, Raven did the same before snapping to reality and pushing away the thought.

~

“Guard up!” Damian shouted.

Raven glanced up from her training battle with Beast Boy and Blue Beetle. Conner was holding his own against Donna fairly well, but her moves stacked together too well for him and he still had too much confidence in his Kryptonian durability. Raven looked up just in time to see her training partner, Donna, connect a hook on Superboy’s jaw after a feint to his mid-section, grab him by the ankle before he flew off, and throw him to the ground forty feet below them, where Conner lander with a crash. Donna slammed on top of him, a foot on his chest pinning him down and a confident, white smile.

“You’re getting better,” she told her boyfriend.

“Yup,” Conner groaned in pain, “feels like it.”

Donna laughed and helped him up. Damian went back to fighting Nightwing and Raven returned her eyes to her first teammates. Beetle loaded up with a double-armed canon and fired her way, barely holding back. Raven, already seeing their plan, willed a dark shield in front of her, stopping his blast completely, and pointed skywards, firing off a blast of her own, hitting Garfield, who had just transformed into a green leopard, square in the chest. Trying to distract her with a powerful shot so Beast Boy could sneak in wasn’t a bad plan. But Raven obviously could feel their minds and emotions, no matter how surreptitious they were.

“Oof!” squealed Gar, landing with a thud and changing back to human. Raven was worried she’d hit him too hard, but he got up after a moment smiling.

_“Dios mio,”_ moaned Jaime, dropping his Blue Beetle mask, “it feels like I’ve gotten weaker if anything. That blast used to be able to get through to you.”

“It’s not you,” Raven promised, “I’ve been feeling a lot better since my father’s absence.”

It was true. Raven felt remarkably powerful now that she wasn’t using energy to constantly keep her father at bay. As she gazed at her own pale hand, a part of Raven wanted to push her limits.

But whom here could she really go unbridled on…

“Gotcha!” Nightwing yelled.

She glanced up to see Damian drop to his knee, holding it. She felt his pain and knew that Nightwing must’ve busted his knee cap in a slick move. Nightwing, who had a cut across his left shoulder and chest, was heaving mightily as he held his stick to Damian’s chin.

“I win,” he panted, grinning from ear-to-ear. Damian tsked under his breath.

“Good practice everyone,” Kori called. Her hands were folded behind her back as she stood with those not participating yet. “Team One takes this battle. Raven, Donna, congratulations.”

“Me too, right?” asked Nightwing.

“Sure.”

The red siren blared across the training facility. The Titans looked up as the wall became a projector, showing them a heist at Jump City National Bank. About half a dozen armed men were inside.

Kori turned to the team frantically, yelling, “Titans, g-“ but she stopped mid-sentence, looking around at them all.

The Titans, who had all been ready for action, did the same. It was like someone had filled up a balloon too quickly and let it pop. Six armed men against… twelve superheroes?

“Do we _all_ go?” asked Kara uncertainly.

“We don’t want to seem like we’re bullying them,” frowned Dick.

“Well then, whose _best_ to go?”

“Please don’t start that.”

“Okay, we can work this out quickly,” said Starfire, looking unsure.

“I have to head into town anyway to see Traci,” said Jaime, “I’ll just stop by on my way.”

“I can fix this in literally two seconds,” argued Wallace.

“So Beetle and Flash?” suggested Raven.

“It feels like forever since I’ve gotten to stretch my legs on a mission,” complained Jinx, folding her arms. Cassandra, next to her, looked like she felt the same.

Raven looked down at Damian. She was surprised to see him sitting there, looking amused.

Kori groaned with her head in her hand. “Okay. Kara, Wallace, Cassandra, you three go, that’s final. Jaime, just go see Traci, they’ll take care of this. And we’ll rotate for next time.”

Wallace and Cassandra were grinning broadly as they led the way with Kara. As most of the team grumbled to themselves, Raven walked over to her boyfriend and crouched, placing her hands on his wounded knee.

“It’s a little shocking you still didn’t want to go,” she questioned as she began the healing process.

“Grayson and I are expecting a call from father anyway,” he told her, stretching his leg. The healing was already complete and they stood together. “He and Red Robin have been researching neurological antidotes for Victor Fries’ wife, hoping to turn him off the black-hat path.”

“And save a life,” said Raven. Damian’s mouth turned up at the corner.

“And save a life,” he agreed.

~

Raven enjoyed the quiet afternoon as Damian was on a conference call with his father, Dick, and Tim. Red Robin had smiled at Raven and she felt it setting Damian off. She’d left the room with a sigh, wondering if they were ever going to get along.

Along a peaceful walk throughout the tower, she bumped into Jinx coming out of the game room.

“Hey,” she said, “rare to not see you and Damian joined at the hip for once.”

“I could say the same to you,” said Raven, looking at the door Jinx had just come from. She couldn’t hear them but felt amplified competitive emotions emitting from the room.

“Conner, Wallace, and Gar are going at it on the new _Injustice 3_ game,” explained Jinx.

Raven frowned. “That one where Superman’s a bad guy?” she asked distastefully.

“Yeah,” said Jinx unenthusiastically, “not really my thing. Donna had the good sense to jet out half an hour ago and Kara’s in there suffering. They’re adding the newly found Supergirl as a DLC character soon.”

Raven huffed a laugh with Jinx at the absurdity. Then she remembered how they’d included her in the first game of that series as some demonic-looking lady and sobered up.

“I was thinking about hitting the town,” said Jinx hesitantly, “getting out and stretching my legs. Wanna come?”

Raven smiled. “I’ll meet you down in ten.”

~

It was a fine day to be out. To Raven, at least.

The sky was a soothing white overcast so not too bright and the breeze was gentle and cool. A Monday afternoon, the mall wasn’t nearly as busy as it was the last time Raven had been here. She and Jinx walked and talked freely without worrying of bumping into anyone every five feet. They dipped into several different shops, some of them less crowded than others still bordering on the abnormal.

Raven and Jinx got along fabulously. They were into the same style and the same manner of things. Jinx’s pink hair that framed her face was highlighted by the near all-black attire she wore, similar to Raven’s. She had on a black shearling zipped jacket, faded dark jeans with a stylish hole at the knee, and shiny black rocker boots. Raven wore her favorite black heels, tight leggings underneath a dark skirt, and a new black leather bomber jacket that she’d received in the mail when Alfred Pennyworth had sent a package to Damian which happened to include something for her for the first time as well.

“Ugh,” groaned Jinx as they stopped by a window on the fourth floor, “I think window-shopping is partly what drove me to a life of crime,” she said, staring longingly at a purse on display.

Raven glanced up. The store had a ‘TF’ label in gold lettering.

“Want to check it out?” she asked, but Jinx looked hesitant, grimacing.

“I can’t-“

“No harm in just looking,” Raven smirked, leading the way in. Jinx followed, looking uncomfortable.

The boutique had a highlighted display for every little thing. The entire side wall was into twelve cubicles that held lavish purses. Coats, jackets, and other apparel were hung spread out from each other. Jinx eyed a particular grey belted jacket as an attendant approached them, eyes widening as she recognized who it was.

“We’re just-“ Jinx started off.

“Needing to know if you have that in her size,” cut a crossed Raven. The lady politely got Jinx’s measurements and left to check in the back. Jinx scowled and held up the four-digit price tag for Raven to see.

“Might as well be free,” said Raven smoothly. She held up a heavy black credit card between two fingers that was gifted to her by Damian. Jinx’s eyes popped upon seeing it.

Forty-five minutes and an expensive bill later, Raven and Jinx were chuckling together as they ate some pizza in the food court.

“It’s the worst though,” laughed Jinx, “he always eats jalapenos on _something_ right before bed and gets these weird, vivid dreams and suddenly I’m waking up in the middle of the night with a giant green bear on top of me.”

Raven laughed with her. “That’s not a normal problem to have.”

Jinx swirled her drink, smiling down warmly at it. “Yeah, but it’s worth it. Gar is the most sincere and goofy person I’ve ever met.”

“Eh, he grows on ya,” said Raven. She watched Jinx’s face change.

“I just wish…” she started off as if she wasn’t sure she should be saying what she was about to or not, “that some things… weren’t as quick. Ya know?”

She glanced up with an impish grin at Raven, who had no idea what she was talking about.

“I’m… sorry?”

“It’s probably my own fault,” said Jinx with a dejected look now, “for being so… _experienced._ But he’s great during!”

Raven’s eyes went wide for a moment once she realized where their conversation had taken a turn to. “Oh.”

She balanced out what was just said in her mind before looking back at Jinx.

“You shouldn’t feel bad for having a past,” she said softly.

“I don’t,” Jinx said quickly. “And Gar is _definitely_ not unenthusiastic. And like I said, he’s great during. I just wish he’d learn to hold it in when I use my mouth.”

Raven almost choked on her soda. Jinx was more blatant than Kori.

“I’m sorry,” Jinx laughed, waving her hands, “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, it’s fine,” said Raven, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“I figured all these years with Starfire, you’d be more used to open sex talk,” admitted Jinx.

“I’ve never had anything to talk about,” explained Raven, “Damian was my first kiss.”

Jinx sighed almost lovingly, a rare face for her to make to anyone but Garfield. “You two are like the other’s half, I swear.”

Raven didn’t comment but stared down at her drink.

~

Raven was still thinking about it as she and Damian walked up to their room after dinner that evening. He had his eyes on the back of her in concern as she walked through the door without a word.

“You’ve been quiet all evening,” he said in a worried tone, “Considering the charge I saw, I thought you and Jinx had a good time?”

“We did,” said Raven looking up, “we get along well.” She looked over at their bed. “Definitely more open than what I would have ever thought,” she added in a murmur.

“ _Now_ I feel as though I should be worried,” said Damian, but his lips fought a smile. Raven paused removing her clothes to get ready for bed. She smiled as she noticed what Damian was wearing.

“What is it?” he asked, brows knitting further.

“You look like an older version of yourself from the carnival,” she told him, smiling reminiscently.

Damian looked down at himself in surprise. His dark jeans red zipper hoodie and a black turtleneck underneath made for a perfect replica of what he wore that night. He smiled, too.

“I still remember your butt in those mirrors,” Raven laughed.

“And how they revealed the inner truth of how big your head is,” countered Damian easily, reaching for her. She took his hand.

“Did you ever have cotton candy again after that?”

“You haven’t offered me any since.”

“Well, I guess now I give different rewards when you’re nice to me,” she said in a quiet voice, their lips inches apart. Damian allowed the moment to melt them together, pressing their mouths together. She loved his lips.

Raven was always the first once handsy. Damian had the gentle touch. His hand set softly on her back, holding her in. Gently stroking the side of her face. Raven lifted her hand under his shirt and felt the hard muscles of his abs. She loved his breath as they continued kissing.

Falling backward on the bed, it became a puzzle of getting undressed without breaking their mouths apart. As Damian pulled his turtleneck over his torso and discarded it, Raven’s mouth temporarily found other parts of him, kissing from his abdomen to his chest. She wondered how he wanted it this time.

She laid back as he pulled her tight leggings off, moaning as he kissed from her calf down her thigh. Raven rolled her hips as he got near, but his mouth passed over her area. They hadn’t done that yet. Hadn’t talked about it.

The conversation with Jinx from earlier struck her mind again. Her eyes fluttered.

“Lay on your back,” she whispered to him, using her foot to stop him from unbuckling his pants. “I want to do that.”

“Yeah?” he said with a heavy breath. Though every bit of her loved him, nothing quite matched how she felt about his eyes when they were like this.

Damian rolled over on his back and Raven straddled him, kissing almost urgently, their bare chests pressed together. His hands ran up her thighs, giving her shivers.

Raven trailed her kisses to his neck, sucking lightly. On his collarbone, down to his chest. Her amethyst eyes flickered up to him as she kissed the top of her abdomen. She kissed that small scar above his left hip.

She felt like her body was vibrating as she began removing his belt and unbuttoning his jeans. Damian’s desire was bursting through to her. It would be contagious, had she not already been overwhelmed with her own. After unzipping them, catching a glance of his boxer-briefs underneath, she grabbed the waistline and pulled his jeans down.

She hadn’t thought of the size too much after their first few times together. She’d gotten used to its… cumbersomeness. But now she was set on it going somewhere else for the first time and now the worry came back as she studied the sizeable outline.

“Raven?” Damian asked, confusion setting in like the tip of an iceberg over his monumental arousal.

“Shhh,” she whispered, keeping her eyes on his as she kissed his v-line. She kissed it again as she began sliding off his boxers and his eyes went blazing, understanding.

Raven didn’t give him (or herself) any time to think it through. His boxer-briefs were soon at the knees and it was in her hand, followed shortly by her mouth.

“ _Raven,”_ Damian gasped in an entirely different voice.

She only knew vaguely how this was supposed to go. Of all the times Kori mentioned sex, this part never really came up. Her first thought was it wasn’t bad, though the motion was alien to her. Taking inches at a time back and forth of a long rod. After the first minute or so, when she finally got better adjusted, she flicked her eyes upward at him and loved how undone he had become. Damian’s teeth were clenched, just as his fists were doing to the sheets. His eyes somehow simultaneously in agony and absolute bliss. Raven worked to go faster, finding it was easier now to get more of him in.

“Fuck, Raven,” groaned her boyfriend through those gritted teeth. Did he want her to stop?

There was a squelching sound every time she went down and sucked. She felt his pleasure threatening to explode.

_“I’m going to..!”_

He reached his breaking point without much more warning. Raven’s eyes popped wide as he was still halfway in her mouth. It lasted a good minute.

Okay. She was not crazy at all about this part.

She retracted her head after, letting it fall off her tongue, and wiped her mouth with the sheet. She wanted to glare at him but smiled instead at the amount of pleasure she felt radiating from her boyfriend and the look of total and utterly finished state he was in. Damian was breathing heavily as he gazed at his girlfriend.

“Do you not have a gag reflex?” he asked in bewilderment. She laughed.

As per usual, their stamina was almost non-exhaustible and he was back up already. Damian lifted her by the thighs and rolled Raven onto her back, kissing her in the same pattern she had him.

And Raven eagerly let him repay the favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to keep any animosity out of this one, but chapter 22 will restart a sinister plot I had in mind. Hope you guys will enjoy!


	22. It's the Life of a Titan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's good to be back!   
> Sorry for the two weeks since chapter 21. I made my 'Under the Red Hood' story which took a week and have been Cyberpunk obsessed in the rest of my free time around an eighty-hour workweek.  
> I just want to say chapter twenty-three might not drop until 2021 now. I'm about to write a new Christmas themed one-shot and will probably take a week or so to just enjoy the holidays after finishing that one up. But hope you guys enjoy this one and have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!

Raven unfortunately had fallen into the routine of waking up with Damian at the ungodly hour before dawn every morning. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, she’d join him in showering and get her meditations going far earlier than she ever had.

Damian worked on physical movements and perfect form at lightning speed pace. Trained by the world’s best, he reached for a bar over even Batman’s head, working studiously before anyone else even got up.

This is why it was such a surprise to both of them when the giant double-doors reopened shortly after they entered. Raven curiously watched Kori and Dick approach, coming into the training facility in casual wear.

“Oh good,” said Dick in a sleepy murmur, blinking heavy eyelids slowly, “you’re awake. Finally.”

In spite of herself, Raven scoffed as Damian lowered his sword already in his Robin attire.

“Have you two been up all night?” asked Raven. Kori liked to sleep in as much as she did but looked very well put together in jeans and an off-shoulder yellow top as if she and Dick were leaving their apartment for dinner.

“Well, I sure wasn’t waking up this early,” Dick yawned. “Only crazy people do that.”

Raven let out a breath of laughter as Robin stood straighter. The couples stared at each other, wondering what was going on.

“We wanted to find a time to talk to you privately,” said Kori, “without anyone listening in.”

“I hope Superboy’s still asleep,” Dick said, looking up to the ceiling as if to check, “you never know with him and Donna…”

“Quit being so reticent, Grayson,” Damian said suspiciously, “what’s this about?”

“I’ve learned he’s really friendly this early,” said Raven sagely. The older couple grinned at her as Damian directed a scowl her way that she chose to ignore.

“I know that…” Dick started off slowly, “we haven’t really shared a lot of details about the wedding coming up next month. We kind of discuss it ourselves back at our place then just shoot Bruce what we decide.”

“And while talking,” Kori continued for him in perfect sync, “we discussed one of the obviously bigger parts of the ceremony and knew there was no one better to ask.”

Raven’s eyes went wide as Kori addressed her with a loving look.

“Raven… would you be my Maid of Honor?”

Dick was smiling at Damian with joy in those sleepy dark eyes when he said, “And it’d really mean a lot to me if you were my Best Man, Little D.”

Fortunately, Damian was too startled to display what his embarrassment level would have been in situations like this. From Raven’s side, he closed his eyes tightly behind his mask and, in a choking sort of voice, said, “I accept.”

“I would love to,” beamed Raven happily. Kori’s smile went wide.

“Thanks, guys,” grinned Dick, looking from Damian (whose eyes were still shut to bar out feelings) to Raven. “We both knew instantly that it was you two or nothing. But we’ll talk about things later… now it’s time to _sleep_.”

Raven laughed as Kori came in to hug her. This was the best surprise she’s had in a long time. Dick didn’t smother Damian with affection (stoic Bat kids and all) but they shared a small smile before he and Kori turned away to leave to their apartment. It was a stunned, silent moment after the door shut behind them. Watching one another wordlessly, Raven smiled as Damian took her hand.

~

It was several days of perpetual bliss for the Titans following that night. Nothing heavily had gone wrong in the world of crime. Patrols were routine and the air began to grow steadily warmer, a fact that all Titans but Damian seemed to enjoy.

Raven and her beau were sitting down for breakfast one late morning when no training was scheduled, having a pleasant conversation about their roles in the wedding coming when suddenly the dining area of Titans tower was bombarded with the loud cackles of the other residents. Raven tried not to frown in annoyance as what Damian was saying was drowned out by Garfield’s piercing narration of the time he was racing sharks.

“And swordfish can’t keep up with me,” he gloated to Wallace and Conner walking in with them, his arm around Jinx, “I gave them a head start then _boom-_ Black Marlin.”

Wallace merely rolled his eyes, unimpressed. “I can touch the Fortress of Solitude and be back in a _picosecond.”_

“But can you race dolphins?” asked Garfield, his grin undisturbed. Wallace simply looked befuddled. Beast Boy tore his eyes from the team’s speedsters and saw Raven and Damian, one whose face was blank, the other who looked agitated at the least.

“Demonbirds!” sang Garfield loudly, walking over.

“Demon what?” asked Damian, cocking an eyebrow.

“Demonbirds,” repeated Garfield happily. “It’s what everyone calls you two online. _Demonbirds, lovebirds, birds of a feather_. I personally like the first one the most.”

Raven would’ve laughed at the look of disbelief on Damian’s face if she wasn’t experiencing the exact same feeling herself. Jinx, at least, seemed to notice the so-called demonbirds were trying to have a quiet moment to themselves.

“Hey, I thought you were cooking me some tofu eggs,” she said, trying to pull Garfield’s attention away. It worked. Beast Boy stared at his pink-haired girlfriend with adoration, allowing himself to be swept off. Damian looked back at Raven.

“We need a table for our room,” he muttered so only she could hear. Raven smiled.

~

Thunder rocking Jump City jolted Raven awake in the dead of that very same night. A tropical storm that the weatherman hadn’t predicted (again) began to roll in and Raven spun in the covers, wishing there was some way to drown it out. Her arm reaching out instinctively, she found the other side of the bed cold and empty.

But he was still there in the room, she felt him. Opening her eyes, and rubbing the bleariness out of them, she sat up in bed and looked around. Damian was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of their room, looking out at the pouring rain. His night-pants were on, just as they had been hours ago, but neither they nor his hair looked at all disheveled. His green eyes left the falling rain and found her.

“Couldn’t get a wink,” he said as Raven rolled her legs from out underneath the covers and stood up, “you knocked out right before it started to really come in.”

“That’ll teach you to stop patrolling for so long,” Raven mumbled. Damian huffed a laugh as she joined him at his side. His arm went around her slender shoulders. Despite standing next to the cold glass being bulleted by rain, he was relatively warm still. Thunder boomed and cracked as if it were right next to them.

“Anyway I can convince you to come back to bed?” Raven tried, leaning into his shoulder. Her eyes on the side of his face studiously watching the rainfall, she smooched his shoulder. Emerald eyes finding her again, the corner of his mouth crooked up.

“Well you know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you,” he cooed, dropping his hands to her waist. And though they didn’t get to have nearly as many quiet moments as Raven would have liked as of late, they found themselves somehow insatiable and yet satisfied with every kiss. Raven’s palms on the glass, she looked out to the blurry glow of Jump City’s lights through the pouring rain as Damian stood behind her, far too eager to make it all the way back to bed…

~

Two days later after the intensity of the storm subsided and only small drizzles remained, Raven was meditating as Donna and Kori waged another war in the training facility. Warriors to the bone, their friendly competitions sometimes got out of hand.

Donna crashed into the ground creating a small crater after Starfire lit her a powerful energy blast, but merely grinned at the challenge and was on her feet again in a flash.

“That all you got, princess?” she bellowed, bulleting upwards into her floating orange target who met her head-on. There was a shockwave as they collided.

Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…

Able to calm the mind of all uncontrolled emotions and keep a sense of everything going on around her was vital, so Raven was well aware of when the large double-doors slid open and felt when someone approach next to her.

“We were supposed to have lunch…”

Raven smirked and peeked an eye open. Conner was standing next to her, watching his girlfriend still doing battle in midair with a sad look on his face.

“Maybe they’re about to wrap it up,” said Raven, not believing it at all. Conner glanced at Raven with a look that was half-amused, half-wistful.

“We were supposed to have lunch half an hour ago,” he said. Raven chuckled, stopping short when Conner hastily ducked as green energy bolt flew his way. He glared upwards at the apologetic face of Starfire.

“Sorry!” she squealed, looking wary. Donna wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, looking down at her boyfriend in surprise.

“Hey,” she said, “how long have you been here?”

“Hours,” answered Conner shortly. Raven chuckled under her breath. Donna knew he was obviously lying, but still slowly lowered to the ground with a guilty smirk.

“Sorry babe,” she said. Wonder Girl glanced back at Starfire who joined them. “Guess we’ll break for lunch?”

Kori nodded, but Raven felt both of their dissatisfaction. “We’ll call this one a draw, Donna. 42-33-16.”

“I’m still catching up,” grinned Donna smugly. Kori simply let that comment be, politely inclining her head and saying, “Indeed”.

“What are you feeling like?” asked Donna, taking Conner’s outstretched hand.

“Tofu,” said Conner unexpectedly, “but don’t you dare tell Garfield or Damian…” They walked off like a loving couple off on a normal date. Raven wished her companions had more chances for simple things like this.

Kori walked up next to her. Ever floating in midair lotus-style feet off the ground, her oldest friend still was well over a foot taller than Raven. “Damian still with Nightwing working on the samples Batman sent?”

Raven nodded once. “They’re feeling confident that Mr. Freeze’s wife will be well soon, so the crunch time is on.” She smiled as she recalled something. “Tim Drake tried video chatting Damian about it last night, but he conveniently was too into the book he had to hear it.”

The heroines giggled together. When Kori came up she asked, “He’s still not over Red Robin dancing with you? We all know it wasn’t for romance.”

Raven shrugged. “Damian.” She said it like the name itself was a reason.

Kori smiled and her green globes drifted up seeming to stare at something a thousand miles away. Raven felt her mind work on something as she bit her lip subconsciously.

“Three weeks away,” Raven decided to bring up, dropping her aura and letting his feet find the floor, “is the venue and everything set?” Raven knew she hit the bullseye as Starfire smiled wide. This is what she wanted to speak about. Perhaps the hesitation was because, despite being the Maid of Honor, happy, cheerful weddings weren’t really Raven’s thing.

“It’s all set,” said Starfire, “just south of here, near Coast City. There’s a beautiful pond area that Oliver Queen bought his wife as a wedding present. Private, remote. I knew it was perfect,” Starfire was bubbling as she and Raven began walking together for lunch as well, “Bruce tried to fight us on the whole media thing, saying we deserved our moment with just friends and family, but Dick and I decided to let _some_ reporters in.”

“So there will be cameras there?” pondered Raven.

“Only some,” reinforced Kori, “members of the Queen reporting base, strictly controlled by Oliver. As it’s their property, and Oliver and Dinah are now in the Justice League and friends with Bruce and Diana, I thought it would be prudent to have them.”

“And Emiko?” asked Raven, making sure her face nor tone gave anything away. But Starfire still caught the obvious.

“I doubt she’ll be any trouble,” she smiled at her friend. “Honestly, ever since she moved into the next apartment to us, we’ve noticed her having a different partner every other day…”

Raven didn’t comment. It was up to whichever individual how they chose to spend their free time (as long as they weren’t hurting others or themselves) and found no reason to judge. As long as she stayed clear of Damian…

They discussed bridesmaid dresses and the such as they walked and ate (Garfield and Jinx were so cuddled to one another in the corner of the lunchroom that the girls doubted they noticed anyone else in there). Kori revealed she was having spectacular blue garments being hand made for their exact measurements that she thought would look absolutely stunning on Donna and Raven. Though none of them were really drinkers, Damian and Dick’s father was providing the finest wines and champagne. Staying true to lavish billionaire form, Bruce was also flying in Dick and Kori’s celebrity chef of choice for the event for the fine dining catering.

“I’m just glad Alfred’s getting the night off,” said Raven, drinking her tea.

“That took a lot more convincing than I ever imagined,” said Kori, “he was already struggling with the _come-as-you-are_ concept…”

“Though it would be pretty great to see him bark orders at a Michelin-starred chef,” came a voice.

The girls looked up to Nightwing and Robin approaching. Though Damian looked concentrated as always, Dick had on an easy smirk under his black eye-mask.

“Ladies,” he said, joining them at the table.

“Kori’s fiancé,” greeted Raven. She looked away from the older couple’s chuckle as Damian sat next to her. “How did the sample analysis go?”

“Through seven different technological trials, white and red blood cells return to their functions as normal,” said Damian, “neurons become stable, and cognitive processing functions as orderly as before… I can’t really see anything that would go wrong with the injection.”

“So Red Robin and Spoiler are making fine additions to your Bat-family,” said Kori, smiling.

Damian scowled into his drink and Raven bit back a grin of her own. She looked at Nightwing.

“Will they be attending the wedding as well?”

Nightwing nodded. “They declined initially, saying they didn’t want to intrude on the moment as strangers, but Bruce and I insisted. She tried to hide it, but I think Stephanie was getting excited by the thought of a wedding. She and Tim have been together for a while it sounds like.”

“Maybe we’ll set the mood,” said Kori. Silence hung in the air following that statement, creating an odd sort of atmosphere. Raven, with nothing to say, slowly drifted her eyes towards Damian, who was doing the same. When the emerald gaze made contact with the amethyst’s, each of their eyebrows shot up and they glanced quickly away, feeling an awkwardness between them for the first time in possibly ever.

Nightwing let out a low whistle before being elbowed by Kori. Wild thoughts were rampaging in Raven’s mind and she thought she felt the same coming from Damian.

“So Dick and I are down between two chefs, an Italian master or Japanese? What do you guys think?” said Kori hurriedly to cut the tension. It worked for the most part. Raven and Damian resumed conversation as normal, but couldn’t quite meet each other in the eye until much later that day…

~

Two weeks before the wedding, Raven was wandering the halls until she came across where her boyfriend was, in the Titan’s medical lab with his head bent next to Nightwing’s studying a series of small, complex-looking grids with a bunch of numbers on them.

“Hey,” she said, placing a hand gently on his back, “still busy?” She watched as the corner of his mouth twisted down.

“We are,” he said, looking at her apologetically, “now we’re working with them on how to get her out of her current predicament without leaving any of her cells in a flash-frozen state. The antidote does no good if her lungs suffer frost-bite.”

“It’s okay,” Raven told him sincerely, “keep at it. I’ll tell my mother you said hello.” She kissed his cheek.

“Bring back some of that fruit,” said Nightwing without looking up from the numbers he was jotting down. “Stuff was amazing.”

“Maybe they’ll let us plant our own tree,” mused Raven. She waved and let the boys continue on with their work, summoning a portal to Azarath once she was out in the hallway.

On the other side, everything was just the way as it was from her childhood. The skies were an enchanting blue, the grass was a different kind of green, the temples were an unblemished white, and the air was light and pure, never once in thousands of years polluted. Raven bowed to many monks as she made her way to her mother’s residence, some of them she’d known well before Trigon’s decimation. And at the end of her walk, she came upon the same building with the pillars outside that she called home growing up. The door was wide open to let the beautiful weather in. There was never anything to hide nor fear in Azarath.

Raven knocked twice as she crossed the marble threshold and saw her mother before she turned. Peacefully humming to herself, Arella was washing some plates with a wooden soap bucket. She turned as Raven approached and smiled wide, so reminiscent of how she did when Raven came home from learning from the monks as a kid.

“Raven,” she said happily. Raven smiled as well.

“Mom.”

The afternoon began slipping by always much too quickly for Raven’s taste when she came here as they sat underneath the shade of a mighty oak-like tree that bore the magical fruit her team loved. Watching the glistening water as they talked, Raven observed the golden eagles swooping down and skimming the surface with their long talons, usually coming away with nicely sized fish. Arella’s sharp laughter could have been heard a few houses down.

“How can he be jealous over such a thing?” she asked when she got her breath back. “No coveting was his attention?”

“That’s what I tried to explain,” said Raven, biting into her fruit.

“Men at times,” mused Arella. She turned her own fruit in her hand, inspecting it. “So… his father is to be married as well, then?”

Raven glanced in surprise at her mother’s tone, but Arella’s expression gave away nothing more than polite interest. “Bruce is engaged to Wonder Woman now, yeah.”

Arella hummed. “Ah, oh well, then.” She noticed Raven’s look grow more suspicious and, in an off-hand sort of voice, said, “Bruce Wayne _was_ a rather handsome man.”

“Gross,” said Raven, making a face. “No. No way.”

Arella laughed. “Well, there’s nothing to do about it now. Never really was if I’m honest.”

Raven took another bite of her apple but kept her glance trained sideways on her mother. After swallowed, she said, “You say his full name as if you know him?”

Now it was Arella’s turn to look surprised. “I’ve only been gone from Earth for twenty years, Raven,” she explained, “the tragic story of what happened to eight-year-old Bruce Wayne was very famous for a long while before I left. I even recall tales of the Batman emerging from Gothamites before I left, though I do admit I thought them to be only myth…”

Raven thought about that. “Fair,” she said and took another bite.

“But what is new in the world of the Titans?” her mother asked when finishing her fruit. “Do you face… _many_ dangers?”

Raven shook her head. “Nothing new. Just routine patrols we normally go on. Robberies and muggings. We haven’t had a decent fight since the Legion of Doom broke into Black Adam’s crypt. Other than Damian and his brother working on a formula for Freeze’s wife, nothing has been out of the ordinary,” she finished, but her breath hitched at the end. It almost escaped her that Damian’s own mother is believed to had run back to the League of Assassins. But she decided not to bring that up.

“All that matters to me is that you stay safe, my Raven,” said Arella in a grim undertone. Raven glanced her way.

“I’m feeling much better than ever before mother,” she told her softly, “ever since I left father’s shard here, it feels like I’m getting stronger every day.”

Arella didn’t seem to think too deeply about that. Instead, she watched the golden eagles who’d yet to catch their meal soar high above.

“I recall your father demanding you be born right away,” she said unexpectedly. “Trigon said he needed his portal and that only one with as much power as he could open the gates for him to wherever he pleased.”

“Father said I was his equal?” asked Raven doubtfully, cocking a suspicious eyebrow, but Arella nodded.

“He said one day you would be,” she explained, “when your peak powers were reached that you would rule side-by-side over the multiverse together.”

Raven let that sink in. It didn’t fully surprise her. She’d always known that her father wished for her to cooperate willingly at his side for some reason. Staring down at her own hand, Raven wondered how strong she could actually be one day. Or maybe Trigon had just been wrong…

“How is his shard?” she asked instead, putting that off as thoughts for later. “Holding up well?” Raven had been watching the glistening waters as well, but when Arella hesitated to answer, she snapped her head her way.

“He gives the monks trouble at times, of course,” admitted Arella, “nothing major. But your father is a very, very powerful demon. He can rattle that bars of his cage if he wants.”

Raven’s teeth clenched and her eyes went wide. Fear flashed in her heart. Trauma was threatening her mind at the thought of Trigon once again being freed in this realm.

“I should-“

“Trust in the power of the mother of Azarath,” Arella finished for her, astonishingly smiling. “Never forget from whence Trigon came.”

Raven didn’t really care for that answer. It certainly didn’t stop her father from utterly decimating this realm before. But, seeing the look on her mother’s face, she knew arguing it would be no good at the moment, so she let it settle and they discussed happier things to end out their time together.

Getting back to Titans Tower, Raven wondered the halls deep in thought. She couldn’t shake the bad feeling of Trigon breaking out of his confinements. So absorbed was she that she didn’t even notice when trotting past a few of her teammates sitting down at the first round table in the dining area.

“Hey Raven, wanna sit down and hang out for once?” asked Jaime, pulling her out of her brooding. Raven glanced at them all in surprise. He, Beast Boy, Jinx, and Cassandra were all there having dinner together. Jaime and Beast Boy were watching her with expressions of amusement, but Cass and Jinx with some concern.

“You okay?” asked Cass as Raven took the seat on her immediate right.

“It still shakes me a bit that I can revisit Azarath whenever I want,” said Raven in partial truthfulness. “What have you guys been up to?”

“You actually missed a pretty big team meeting, Rae,” informed Garfield, munching on some lettuce, “Batman had an emergency call to Nightwing and Robin about an hour ago.”

Her father’s disposition dropping entirely, Raven asked urgently, “What happened?”

“Rose Wilson and the other members of the H.I.V.E undergraduates got jail busted out of their Spartan confinements in Arkham,” briefed Jaime importantly.

“It was Damian’s mom that did it,” said Jinx before Raven could ask how. Raven’s mouth parted.

“So we’re gonna have some new bad guys to handle,” said Cassandra, not nearly as interested in this riveting news as the others, “we got this.”

“You know they say since Superman’s so powerful, he shouldn’t have to worry about a thing. Since he can move the moon from the sky and all,” said Garfield, swirling his green juice, “but not many people know all it takes is a little green rock in Batman’s utility belt to fall a god.”

Cassandra huffed a laugh. “Alright, alright, fine you got me,” she said, but Raven could tell she was really just humoring him. Like Donna and Diana, Cassandra was dangerously overconfident.

Raven wanted to go see Damian, but she couldn’t quite feel out where he was in the building with all this babbling going on around her. However on-guard her teammates were, it wasn’t enough to stop them from having their usual good time. Garfield shot a look down at Jinx’s meal as if he’d just now noticed what she was eating.

“You know,” he said in an amused tone, “when you said you were planning on going vegetarian with me, I didn’t think you were going to resort to crispy, over-salted potatoes for your every meal.”

“Hey, let me have my baby steps,” argued Jinx playfully, picking up another fry. Jaime and Cassandra chuckled at the couple’s cuteness. Once Raven snacked on some chips with them and chatted a little bit more, she was free to begin exploring the tower. She wondered if he was in their room or still working over the data analysis on how best to unfreeze Nora.

Where she found him, however, was the library. Raven paused in the doorway before entering when she saw him. Damian was seated in one of the cushy armchairs by the floor-to-ceiling glass wall and a lamp turned on behind him with a thick volume in his hands. Emerald eyes lifted up gently from its pages and softened when they found her.

“Hi,” said Raven, walking closer.

“How was your mother?” asked Damian as Raven sat in the chair across from him.

“She’s great,” replied Raven, “but I forgot to bring back Dick any of those fruits.”

Damian closed his novel and said, “And now he’s stuck with Starfire’s insipid cooking abilities. It’s almost as bad as a crime we find when patrolling.”

Raven laughed. “She’s gotten better, you know.”

“Because she adds mustard flavoring to everything?” asked Damian quizzically, knitting his eyebrows.

Raven laughed again and let it drop. She took a moment before saying, “The team filled me in what I missed while I was gone.” She watched in concern for Damian’s reaction but was surprised to not see nor feel any much of one. He simply dropped his eyes and gazed out the glass walls to Jump City in the distance.

“I don’t know what mother’s plans are,” he admitted regretfully, “rebuilding the League of Assassins with a few C-rank villains that our team dropped in no time is borderline dishonorable. She has to have a bigger scheme in mind…”

Raven wanted to ask, but knew from the emotions emitting from Damian that he didn’t have anything better than a guess as to what they were, so she remained silent and watching. Damian looked her way again and their eyes met.

“But whatever it is,” he said, “we’ll handle it.”

“Together,” clarified Raven. Damian formed her favorite crooked smile and all felt well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More will come soon. I'm also working on a Christmas one-shot! But until then, if anyone is looking for a great read, check out Tales of the Witchhunters by MageWarrior and Pride and Prejudice by Devilinureye! Love those!


	23. You Are Cordially Invited...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I know I promised this ages ago and it honestly should have come out even before then, but I was having a huge problem continuing this series: extinguished inspiration.
> 
> Not writer’s block. Because I knew exactly every scene I wanted to do. I just had a huge problem getting motivated to write it out every time I sat down in my free time. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to write DamiRae (I’ve written several one shots since the last chapter, please read, thanks holmes), but I’ve recently found that I was leaning far too much into fluff/smut. 
> 
> The last chapter had no plot. This chapter *originally* had no plot. They were to be just fluffy fan-service bits for people to enjoy. And I found myself unable to do it without realizing why: I need that bit of anguish and plot to keep myself motivated. Because the excitement of fluff/smut fades, and for me especially, it fades fast. 
> 
> I felt dull writing out a chapter with no meaning other than warm hearts. I’m sorry to say, it likely won’t happen again. I’ve always likened my chapters to little episodes. Without plot, what are they? Fluff (and smut, if I continue that) are just nice details dropped along the way of a plot unfolding. 
> 
> Anyways, number 23 is here. I hope you like the return.

Two weeks had flown by with such speed that for the first time since leaving Nanda Parbat, Damian’s calculated mind had lost track of which day of the week it was.

Jaime was seen video chatting with Traci (whom would be attending in the crowd) talking of wedding gifts from them as a couple, which had Jinx and Garfield exchanging nervous looks. Wallace was tasked by Damian (the Best Man) to zip across the planet a day before the ceremony to pick up the freshest, most beautiful flowers from exotic and remote parts of the world that fit Kori’s color scheme. There was an uptick at the corner of Raven’s mouth as she looked over Damian’s shoulder one evening and found him assessing the wedding planner’s work meticulously.

April came in a blooming start and bright blue skies as if the deities somewhere had promised a time not to be forgotten. And so, wedding rehearsals had begun in elated fashion.

“You did pretty good getting them all to look sophisticated,” commended Dick. He, Damian, and the rest of the male Titans were in the vast common area where the brothers, Nightwing and Robin, were watching the rest with some amusement as they fitted themselves into custom-made tuxedos for the event that Damian had ordered from the same Gothamite that had done his for the H.I.V.E gala. Garfield and Wallace, wearing their fashionable and fancy cashmere suits, spoke in gawky, mocking tones of what they supposed the gentry class sounded like.

“Raven informed me Starfire is putting the same shimmering blue dresses on all of the bridesmaids,” Damian merely stated. “There needs to be _some_ manner of uniformity on our side… and ceremonial dignity.”

Dick grinned at him. “Nice to know Alfred truly has an heir.”

Damian let out a breath of a laugh and checked his phone. Nothing from Raven yet. She and the female side of the Titans were out reveling with Kori for her bridal shower. He had wondered what was in the black box with a neat bow on it, but Raven kept it a hush secret upon leaving early that afternoon. But with other tasks at hand, like making Garfield not appear like a literal monkey in a suit, it was driven far from his mind.

By the late evening, however, with no word or text from her, Damian once again wondered about Raven and that little black box. How long were bridal showers supposed to go on for, he thought as the last of the sunlight appeared like a strip of flames at the far end of the skyline. Damian didn’t know much of anything about these events. He never bothered to look into them.

Damian swept past Wallace, Jaime, and Garfield at dinner. It was getting late and it was in vain that he thought of various tasks to occupy his thoughts to distract himself.

It was perhaps childish. He knew Raven was alright. She was with their friends, some of the strongest fighters on the planet. But without her here all the day long, he couldn’t stop an odd sense of loss that threatened to wash over him as he entered their room alone and frowned to himself. When was the last time they’d been apart this long?

It wasn’t ten minutes later there was a stumbling sound just outside in the hallway.

Damian quickly put the novel he’d just opened aside and stood up from the bed as his door opened.

“ _Raven!”_

Damian couldn’t help but sound frantic. Raven was leaning into Donna, her head on the Amazon’s shoulder and an almost tired look on her face. Bleary amethyst eyes found Damian and she tried walking forward only to stumble falling down into his arms, mumbling something unintelligible. Damian caught her gently as she fell into his chest and looked up at Donna in concern.

“What’s wrong with her?” he demanded. To his great surprise, Donna was smirking. Cassandra was standing just behind her with a brisk look.

“How long you got?” asked Donna playfully. Upon seeing Damian’s critical expression, she hurried on to say, “We had some wine at Kori’s bridal shower for the wedding. Nothing serious. _Buuuut-“_ she gestured back down to Raven, who was already snoozing peacefully cradled against Damian’s chest.

“I think we can leave this in your capable hands,” remarked Cassandra, smirking as well. Looking at her sister, she said, “Mind helping me with my dance moves? There’s got to be _someone_ at the wedding who’ll ask.” With a timid smile, Donna nodded, and they both waved Damian goodbye.

Damian lifted Raven as gently as he could, carrying her bridal style to the bed and laying her down. As she hiccuped once in her sleep, he couldn’t help sheepishly grinning, too.

~

When the morning had arrived, it appeared to Damian that Raven had made a recovery as he worked on a formula for Wayne Enterprises commercial farming abroad at the desk in their room and heard her tired tone.

“I am begging you to go back to sleep,” came a muffled voice from Raven’s unmoving body. Her head was still sunk into her pillow and she was turned the other way, as if to block out witnessing Damian’s early morning attempts at life.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” said Damian as she groggily sat up in bed. She squinted at him sitting across the room at the desk they had against the wall doing some work and seemed to take a moment to soak that in.

“When did I get back to the tower?” she croaked. Damian, smiling ambiguously to himself, clicked off the screen to black out what he was working on as she took a drink from the water he set out for her.

“Donna and Cassandra haled you here after you helped to choose the copacetic wine menu for the ceremony,” said Damian, “the consensus seemed that you all had a gratifying time,” he added helpfully.

Raven swished around some of the drink in her mouth. “All I have is this metallic taste in my mouth.”

“Doesn’t sound too gratifying then,” said Damian bemusedly, stretching. Despite her state, Raven smiled sideways at him.

“So are you not going to try any with me Saturday?” she asked, rising out of bed. Damian took her hand softly in his. Even with tousled hair and tired eyes, he thought she had no equal on this Earth.

Though she inadvertently brought to mind the lone sad thought of the wedding.

“You know we need to keep our distance,” grimaced Damian. Raven’s expression didn’t change; it was something she knew already.

“I think the Best Man and Maid of Honor can talk,” she said in an even tone.

“Two rather reclusive strangers wouldn’t have much to chat about,” reasonably argued Damian. Raven’s mouth twisted, but didn’t let the negativity settle, brushing past it easily by lifting their intertwined hands and kissing his palm.

“We should use what time we have now then,” she whispered. Damian was all hers when she pulled them closer together for a kiss, but broke away after a quick second once his phone vibrated on the desk.

“Who-“ was all he managed, glancing at it briefly, before Raven touched her fingertips against his chin and reverted his gaze back to her knitted brows.

“Damian,” she said, not sounding entirely patient, “focus please.”

Damian breathed a laugh before they continued kissing. However, a string of texts left his phone repeatedly buzzing. Raven sighed lightly as they broke off again, thinking it was perhaps urgent. Using his hand that wasn’t holding her, Damian grabbed his cellular device. He and Raven made identical faces once they saw the series of messages from Conner.

_Please don’t. Cut it out._

_Stop this._

_NO! Don’t focus. Kara and I are up already playing backgammon._

_Stop._

_Stop!_

_Resist Raven with all your might!_

Raven barely contained a chortle. Damian didn’t respond, simply pocketing the device and looking back at her with a strong touch of longing.

“We need more room between us and the neighbors,” he said heavily. Raven scoffed, kissing him once more before making her way to wash up in the bathroom, alone.

~

After a few days, the time had come.

It was still early morning when Damian arrived alongside his father at the ceremonial grounds. The entire event would be taking place outside as perfect weather was forecasted. A cool breeze blew through the botanical gardens and the dew-drenched grass kept their shoes wet and shiny for a time.

Diana arrived shortly after Damian and his father, primarily helping in details like the placement of flowers and hanging lights with attendants (whose mouths fell more and more agape the closer to them she got). The entire venue was set up as a type of orchard. Bruce handled a lot of direction, seeming familiar with the action after years of living with Alfred and running Wayne Enterprises.

Damian simply moved along the outskirts of the venue by himself, ignoring looks he got until there was a light nudge on his shoulder and he found himself looking up to Diana, who was holding out a flute of champagne for him.

“It’s just tasty sparkling water,” she promised as Damian timidly took it. He had no desire whatsoever for alcohol. “Alfred made this at the manor to mimic actual champagne. Bruce says it’s good for keeping up the fun-loving billionaire image to be seen drinking early without a care at events.”

“I suppose father’s had enough practice,” amended Damian, taking a sip. It may not have contained alcohol, but there were still much more carbohydrates than he would have liked in a beverage.

“He _is_ actually trying to enjoy today,” said Diana, examining Damian’s stand-offish demeanor, “have you heard from Richard?”

“I’m sure he’s making a last ditch attempt to convince Alfred that it’s fine for people to wear turtlenecks to weddings,” said Damian. Before Diana replied, there was a sharp _ding_ just behind Damian, but when he looked over his shoulder, he saw nothing. Almost for confirmation of what he heard, he glanced at Diana, whose intense blue eyes were scanning the area behind them as well, searching for the source.

“I was wondering where both of you got off to,” called a familiar voice. They each turned their heads the other way to see Bruce Wayne walking towards him, fake champagne glass in hand.

“Enjoying the wedding preliminaries?” he asked Diana, hooking an arm into hers. Wonder Woman smiled, leaving all concerns behind. Behind them, the wedding planner, a critical but well-put-together-looking woman with her hair in an unwravelable bun, was stomping around.

“I honestly can’t tell if the new help is _purposefully_ being flippant or not,” she barked at her assistant following her, “every time I tell them to do something, they just stand there and stare like they’re counting the seconds until I walk away!”

Damian sighed, wishing for Richard and the others to hurry on their way.

He wasn’t left waiting for too long. In the young afternoon, before the white overcast had yet cleared away, some guests arrived (many of the few wishing for the chance to simply speak to Bruce one-on-one about some kind of possible business arrangements) followed by the main man himself.

“Alfred, it’s fine,” Dick was saying as he exited the back door of a glossy pitch black sedan. Damian saw that he was already smiling. “I swear if Damian or Bruce are in board shorts, you can tell everybody to go home.”

“Do you own board shorts?” Damian asked his father.

“As if Alfred would allow it,” Bruce muttered in response. Diana chuckled, wrapping an arm around his waist. Alfred snapped the driver’s door shut and handed the key to an attendant for parking, giving him very cross directions as Dick walked over to the three of them.

“The man of the hour,” greeted Diana warmly. Bruce (and even Damian) had a smile for him as Dick sheepishly approached, already elegantly dressed.

“Like Alfred keeps reminding me,” he sighed. Then he folded his arms and smiled brightly at them.

“Well, D?” he said to Damian. “Got those rings I gave you?”

“I believe so,” said Damian, patting his pocket, “but the diamond is so miniscule it’s hard to keep track of.”

“Damian,” Bruce scolded in a tired voice. Dick, for whatever reason, just seemed satisfied with the situation.

“Well keep track of it with you magnifying glass a little bit longer,” he said, his cocky smiling undeterred, “but in a few more hours, do you mind passing that magnifying lens to Kori? She’ll need it.”

Bruce smiled and Diana laughed. Damian smirked, glancing around just as he thought he felt someone watching him. There were a few people looking their way naturally, but he had the oddest feeling…

“Hello!” came an enthusiastic, high-pitched voice. Through tightened eyes, Damian quickly scanned a high-maintenance woman dressed like a white-collared reporter (complete with an exotic feather pen and writing pad) with long apricot hair, dark red wine lips, and high arching, neatly trimmed brows with dazzling shamrock eyes that were focused solely on Bruce. There was a thick black lanyard with some sort of identification badge around her neck.

“Vicki Vale with the Gotham Gazette,” she said promptly, still staring at Bruce. Diana’s smile adopted a rather amused, challenging touch. “I was wondering if I could have an interview with the groom’s father before the ceremony gets underway.”

“The vultures have arrived,” said Damian, none too quiet or kindly. Dick elbowed him.

“There will be plenty of intriguing guests for you to get your claws on, Miss Vale,” said Bruce calmly. “There’s nothing more to say that I haven’t already to the press.”

“I was thinking of an exclusive scoop,” said Vicki, her tone and gaze undeterred. She took a brisk moment before adding, “Just like we used to do.”

It was brave at least, thought Damian. Valiantly, the reporter maintained her composure, though she spoke of barely hidden agendas to the man whose Wonder Woman’s arm was wrapped around. Dick and Damian exchanged uncomfortable expressions as a dangerous curl and gleam came to Diana’s widened smile and eyes.

“Master Damian, Master Richard, might I have a moment,” called Alfred out to them suddenly, “it appears Takemura-san has arrived.”

“Thank God, I’m starving,” said Dick quickly. Damian walked apace alongside his soon-to-be-wed brother towards Alfred to help greet the world famous chef, leaving behind Bruce’s fleeting glance to his own fiancé, whose eyes (despite a smile firmly in place) had reached a stony level as they gazed at the beautiful reporter with the seemingly unbothered, innocent expression on her face.

It was a still wonder to Damian how his father pulled off some of the favors he could. Goro Takemura was the doyen of Japanese cuisine and head chef of Arasaka, one of the top restaurants in the world based in Kagawa, Japan.

“Eet has nothing to do with Bruce Wayne’s persanel power,” said Takemura-san in his heavy, slow accent as he and his team set up their kitchens (watched dutifully, but respectfully, by Alfred), “eet is for Lady Starfeer. I will never furget when the Teen Titans helped my people during the Trouble in Tokyo two years ago.”

Dick delivered his lines very well. “She’s told me many times. Her being there, experiencing your cuisine and culture, was actually the driving force in asking you to be here on our wedding day. For everything to be _perfect_.”

Takemura-san gracefully clapped his hands together and declined his head in a polite bow for the show of respect. Behind him, his sous chef, V, and the rest of their kitchen staff, Panam, Judy, Jackie, and Evelyn all replicated his action.

“The place is starting to fill in rather quickly, Master Richard,” remarked Alfred half an hour later.

Dick was shaking hands with everybody and even Damian was forced to acknowledge some existences. Vicki Vale could be heard lamenting loudly about how she had an official press pass to security from outside of the event. Oliver Queen and his wife Dinah Lance arrived absent of Emiko (Damian breathed a sigh of relief) and were warm in congratulating Dick.

“It’s not easy in our line of work,” commented Oliver loudly, winking and brandishing a glass of real champagne. People were filing around now, attempting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Yes,” said Dick, looking a touch stiff, “but I only _help_ run _certain divisions_ of Wayne Enterprises all the way from Jump City, so I’m not as far caught up in it as my father is.”

Dinah laughed loudly, wholly at ease and enjoying their private joke teased in front of the public’s very eyes. Just like at the previous party, she exuded confidence in the extreme.

“Any word from our friends?” Dick muttered to Damian the next time they were out of ear shot of anyone. Oliver and Dinah were now having drinks and chatting with Bruce and Diana. Damian checked his phone discreetly.

“Nothing,” he murmured back. He’d received no text from Raven at all the entire day. She left first thing that morning along with the rest of the bridesmaids (it was amusing to Dick, revolting to Damian to watch Jinx kiss Garfield goodbye like they were going on a yearlong voyage) to help Kori with her “bridal moment”.

“I thought that perhaps by noon-“ Damian had started to say, but he was drowned out by a screech of a cheer. Cringing away from it, Damian turned and quickly realized what it was for.

The Titans had arrived.

“They came!” said some girl about his age.

“I need a picture!” screamed another, holding their face. “I need a picture!”

“Donna, I love you!” called out some guy.

“Who invited these people?” grumbled Damian. Dick chuckled.

“Sons and daughters of people Bruce knows,” he said, “so please try not to behead any of them. After all, now the family is here.”

Damian silently agreed. Donna spectacularly led the way into the clearing, being watched by everybody in her shimmering blue dress holding hands with a tuxedoed Conner, who was grinning at the cameras snapping like he’d just won the lottery. The entire team was dressed up for the occasion, like Kori and Damian planned. People were trying to get pictures with them, autographs. Beast Boy transformed into a monkey to take a group photo with on-looking peers. Donna smiled and took a picture with a group of girls as Cassandra signed a boy’s shirt. They were receiving more attention than even Bruce and Diana were.

“It’s good to know the celebrity life is beneath them,” smiled Dick as Jinx posed for a picture with Kara. The girl taking it, about Kara’s age, was nearly crying as she did so.

Damian wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were on the last of them coming into the area, the quietest in doing so. Divine was an understatement for how Raven looked. A hand on her hip watching the team’s antics, those special eyes found Damian. They watched each other for a moment before she started making her way over to he and Richard. Somehow, though nearly everyone’s eyes touched on her, she passed through the small crowd without interruption.

“Stay cool as ice, Damian,” Dick muttered, a smile on his lips, “a girl approaches.”

Damian sighed tiredly. “You’re my worst enemy, Grayson,” he said. A second later, Raven was standing directly in front of them, poker eyes on Dick alone. Nearly everyone at the ceremony was casting glances their way, if not outright staring.

“Richard Grayson,” she said in her usual tone. One would think she was uninterestedly asking what was for lunch.

“Raven,” greeted Dick warmly. “Kori’s told me a lot about you.”

“A shame we’ve never met before now,” said Raven.

“I imagine the Titans don’t have much time for double dates,” said Dick ironically as Donna, Conner, Garfield, and Jinx all posed for a photo together in the distance.

“Of course,” drawled Damian, choosing now to adopt his obnoxious rich boy persona since there were many onlookers, “that tower must take you all the entire week to clean. Tell me, how do you manage to pay the light bill every month?”

Raven’s eyes slid over to Damian with convincing uninterest. “You’re…” she tightened her eyes, playing with struggling to remember, “the _other_ son, right? Hmm. I thought you’d be taller.”

Damian clenched his teeth, fighting either annoyance or a smile. Off in the distance again, Conner and Kara suddenly spurt into laughter. Everyone around them looked on in confusion, unsure of the cause.

“Yes, well,” said Dick, his jaw working furiously. He was _definitely_ fighting a smile. “I’m glad everyone was able to make it.”

Raven’s eyes reverted back to him with effort. “I’ll be leaving again shortly. Kori’s dress will need some extra hands to be put on.”

“It’s lucky she- _we_ have you,” said Dick with a genuine, warm smile. Raven’s demeanor cracked and she gave him a rare smile in return. Though that was quickly interrupted as a brave young man with wide doe eyes came up to them holding on tight to some type of notepad.

“Hi,” he said breathlessly to Raven. Damian felt a tick scratch away some of his self-control. “I was hoping- _praying_ \- I could maybe I could get an autograph on one of my sketches?”

“Sketches?” Raven asked. The guy eagerly flipped open his notepad and shoved it under her nose. Raven craned her neck away and Dick quickly turned a snicker into a cough. They both shot halfway glances to Damian, who felt his patience wearing thin.

It was Raven. Beautifully drawn in pencil format (though perhaps more curvaceous than she actually was).

“I’ve done so many of you,” he eagerly said, flipping through a series of Raven images. When he stopped, he looked up at her with a desperate, maniacal look in his eye. “You were my screensaver all throughout high school!”

“Um…” Raven looked very unsure what to say. “Thank you? I’ll sign the front one if you promise not to show me any more.”

Damian couldn’t help the annoyed _TT_ that escaped his lips. Dick grinned sideways at him. There was even an uptick in the corner of her mouth while Raven signed the boy’s abhorrent sketchbook and turned back to the brothers as he left. She addressed Richard.

“I better get back to your fiancé,” she said. “I’ll have her here on time.”

“I’ll be sure to save you both some food if you make it back,” said Dick. Raven scoffed. She shared a last brisk look with Damian, locking eyes for an intense moment, and then turned and made away without another word towards the rest of their team, whom were still being questioned by reporters and apparent fans alike.

“Who’s the grumpiest in the morning?” “The French ambassador recently made a claim that Superboy and Wondergirl were shopping for a condo together in Marseille. Can you confirm this?” “Have Nightwing and Robin both abandoned the team? Do they not care about love or happiness, being from Batman? Why aren’t they here now?” “With Starfire being the first hero publicly married, will there be a change in leadership for the Titans?”

Takemura-san and his staff’s nouvelle cuisine kept the wedding guests happy (Jinx, who was now fully committed to her boyfriend’s non-meat diet, eyed the platter of snow crab claw sunomono longingly) as anticipation started to make Dick more and more skittish. He seemed barely aware of it when new guests arrived at the reception anymore, which was nearly at its full attendance.

“You’re acting like there’s a part of you that doubts if she’ll show or not,” said Damian, snacking on a Japanese cucumber with sea salt. He stood with Dick at the forefront of the reception formally to make it easy for the new arrivals to find and congratulate, but there was enough attention on Bruce and Diana and the Titans that they were able to talk privately on some moments.

Dick shot him a grimace. “It’s my wedding day, D. I’m allowed to be a little nervous.”

“Afraid of inadequately performing in the wedding night procedurals?” mocked Damian. Dick groaned.

“You’re _my_ worst enemy.”

Before Damian could reassure him of anything, two new guests had arrived.

“This is so beautiful!” grinned Stephanie Brown. “Look at the flowers. It’s incredible. Aren’t those cherry blossoms near where they’re serving food? _Oh my, look at the food!”_

“Yes, they’re Sakuras,” informed Damian, folding his hands behind his back as Time Drake and Stephanie Brown approached. Despite the come-how-you-are on the invitation, they were each neatly dressed in a fine black tux and dress. Stephanie held a small wrapped gift. “They fit with the spring color scheme all around and I thought they were appropriate for Takemura-san and his staff. A small token of honor to their culture for coming all this way.”

“So you’re a wedding planner on top of everything else as well?” asked Tim, smiling. His blue eyes seemed delighted with something and Damian couldn’t tell if he was being friendly or meant to mock him.

“Congratulations on all this,” said Steph as Tim and Dick shook hands, “and thanks for inviting us again!”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Dick. He eyed the present Steph was holding.

“It’s not much,” she said sheepishly, “but-“

“I assure you it’s perfect,” guaranteed Dick, “much better than the repeated crystal stemware and yoga-lessons-with-the-zen-master-of-California that are in the other boxes.”

Tim and Stephanie laughed. They thanked him again and went to mingle with the crowd as the time drew near, also taking in the pre-ceremony delicious snacks provided. As Jaime and Conner snacked on some datemaki tamango, a fairly large crowd gathered around Kara as she lifted a guest’s SUV easily over her head with one hand. She laughed as she received an ovation.

Damian made conversation with a few other people in polite Wayne fashion as Dick talked to Roy Harper and Karen Beecher-Duncan- the final bridesmaid and groomsman. He formally thanked a few of the Titans for coming, purposefully calling Conner ‘Super _kid_ ’ to see the annoyance flash on his face.

And then-

“Ladies and gentlemen,” called Alfred. Though very old, he exuded great energy enough to effortlessly catch everyone’s attention, killing loud chatting and extinguishing murmurs with a few words. “If I may interrupt your conversations, we must move this party. The time has come.”

All eyes simultaneously glanced at Dick, who looked as hyper aware as Damian had ever seen him. His hand slightly shook at his side.

The guests filed into the area like an atrium where the vows would be exchanged. A few hundred chairs were set out across a beautiful lawn for them and all around were moss garden walls to enclose the space. The sky above was now a beautiful light blue. The air was clean to the lungs. It was a perfect day.

As everyone began taking their place, Tim and Damian (who were acting as a sort of honor guard as guests filed in) overheard the wedding planner complaining yet again of staff.

“What do you mean!” she hissed venomously at her assistant. “How can the help possibly have something better to do?! Do you know how bad it’s going to look if we butcher a Wayne wedding! Neither you nor I speak any of that language, so please go ask them again to have Goro’s team chill the champagne.”

“Takemura-san speaks a little English,” said the assistant hesitantly.

“Just do it!”

Tim and Damian exchange long, uncomfortable looks across at each other. Perhaps it was years of being too aware of the constant dangers lurking around every corner and was nothing but poor planning…

It was driven from his mind when the Maid of Honor made her return.

Raven seemed unaware of all the onlooking attention as she made her way up the aisle to take her place on the small stage. As bridesmaids and groomsmen took their places by the podium in the center, she caught Damian’s eyes again and he found it almost hard to breath.

Raven took her place as Maid of Honor with Karen, Donna, Jinx, Cassandra, and Kara on her left.

Damian stood as the Best Man beside Dick with Roy, Tim, and then the rest of the Titans (who were honorary groomsmen for Starfire’s wedding to the public’s eye) on his right.

And then it began: the classical arrangement by Vincent Avella; _Here Comes The Bride._

Dick looked as if he was going to fall to his knees when she entered. Kori stood even taller than Bruce, who was her escort down the aisle looking proud to do so, wearing a sleeveless wedding dress that left her arms and shoulders bare. The lower half exploded into white ruffles. Her eyes were positively shinning.

It was as beautiful as they could have imagined. A many number of people were there as filler, true, but everyone important was close. Diana was beaming at the moments-from-being-wed couple as her own fiancé sat down next to her. Traci was a few rows back, incognito of being associated with the Titans, just happy to be there. Donna and Kara’s eyes were full of tears.

That was when it happened.

“Do you, Richard Grayson, take Koriand’r of Tamaran-“

Damian’s only warning was Kara (like Conner behind him) glancing around at their feet curiously, like she heard something. As the agreeing words of the vow were on the tip of Dick Grayson’s tongue, the stage they stood on exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you guys enjoyed what I did as much as I did writing it. I’m hoping to keep a pace of one chapter a weekend after this. I’ll try to form other one-shots around it as well (kind of forming filler content in my head in relation to my Two Years With You’ story. Mentally working on a ‘Trouble in Tokyo’ one-shot that would take place about the time of Superman’s return, right before Conner joined the team ((may include him actually joining the team)). But I won’t be sacrificing time from chapters of this story to work on those.
> 
> Saturday pre-work is my new designated ‘write DamiRae’ time. Around working seventy hours a week at the hospital, I am… working on writing a novel. An actual novel. I’d really like to do this for a living, so why not give it my best shot. I’m planning/writing it six days a week atm. 
> 
> Other than that news, the DamiRae fanzine is now out! I encourage everyone to check into it some! Myself, Goose (Lavender Teacups), Mage, Chromie, and many others have worked hard on making special DamiRae content for you guys. And thanks in advance for the wonderful editors for their efforts. Check into details via Discord or Tumblr, I believe, but there is also a Twitter for it as well. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Hail DamiRae.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoyed it and thank you so much for reading! Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. I really do look forward to anything anyone has to say. Be well!


End file.
